NBA Playoffs – Boston Celtics hope for Kemba Walker’s reaction before Game 7 against Toronto Raptors: “We’ll answer”

For the third time in the past four years, the Boston Celtics want to make their way into the Conference Finals perfectly, while the Toronto Raptors want to continue their title defense. Game 7 brings the spectacular series between the two top teams of the Eastern Conference to a worthy end. After the thriller in Game 6 (click here for the highlights), Boston hopes above all for a reaction from Kemba Walker.

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The 125:122 thriller in game 6 could easily be summed up as a wild roller coaster ride: 12-point lead for Boston in half-time, the comeback of the Raptors, followed by two crazy extensions including several entries in the history books. Ultimately, the Raptors forced a seventh duel that will crown this series, which has so far met all expectations.

For Kemba Walker personally, not only game 6 was a rollercoaster ride, for the point guard of the Celts this applies to the entire series. Strong games alternate with weak appearances, the preliminary low point was the last game in the night from Wednesday to Thursday. Walker had 5 points at the end, only 2 of his 11 throw attempts ended up in the finish.

The 30-year-old saw neither his own nor the performance of his team as a cause for concern. Instead: Pure optimism before the all-important game 7. “Why shouldn’t I be optimistic?”, Walker answered a corresponding question. “It was a hard-fought game. We could have given up, but we didn’t.”

Raptors vs. Celtics: Curry tactic works against Kemba

So Walker goes into the decider with confidence after the tight thriller in game 6. “We have a good group together, we love playing basketball together and we love making each other better. I know we will answer.”

A reaction is also expected from Walker himself. If he regularly dissected the defense of the Sixers in round 1 – he was surprised how much space he got from Philly – the Raptors got the guard under control after a few games.

In Game 6, Toronto put him down with the same tactic that Head Coach Nick Nurse had already successfully implemented in the 2019 finals against Stephen Curry: the box-and-one defense. The concept behind it briefly explained: In Game 6, Fred VanVleet did not move from Walker’s side, especially in first half, the remaining four Raptors players defended in one zone. Walker only made 3 attempts to throw in the first 24 minutes – none of them ended up in the basket.

“It’s not on Kemba,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens in defense of his playmaker. “It was just how they defended him.” Despite the Raptors defense, his team got “great” throws, but he asked Walker for more screens and cuts. Otherwise he could only watch. “They took him out of the game. It’s a sign of respect.”