Siakam is going to want to use his size advantage against Brown, who is going to have to work hard around the basket to make things difficult in post-up situations. It was a year ago with Team USA that Brown was routinely tasked with defending 4s, and now he’ll almost certainly be asked to essentially shadow Siakam’s minutes.During the regular season, Siakam scored 23 points against Brown on 10-of-24 shooting with two turnovers, according to the NBA’s defensive tracking data.
Four months after the season was suspended, Celtics guard Kemba Walker is still dealing with a left knee issue that hampered him right up until play stopped. He’s not coming down and running 10 mid pick-and-rolls in a row and they’re going to him like this and you can blitz him out of that or whatever. I was looking at the film like crazy because, obviously, he’s had two great games here, a career high [34 points against Cleveland in December]. "It's something that a lot of athletes go through. I'm just staying positive. "He’s getting some isolation play, post-ups, putbacks, but not a lot of any one thing. That's really all I can do.
We think back to something Raptors coach Nick Nurse said in December after Brown had a couple big games, including a 30-point outing in Boston’s Christmas Day win in Toronto. On TV: ESPN for game, NBC Sports Boston for pregame/halftime/postgame coverage.In a series between two evenly-matched teams it feels exaggerated to suggest that a single player might swing an entire series.So, we’ll simply frame it like this: For the Boston Celtics to advance past the Toronto Raptors in an Eastern Conference semifinal series they'll need Jaylen Brown to be one of the most impactful players on the court over the next two weeks. Hopefully, I can continue to feel good and just continue to take care of myself.”The Celtics have just one game left in their seeding-round schedule. I’m working every single day to continue to get my leg stronger, get my knee stronger. I’m feeling good. "He’s making these plays kind of in the flow of his game. "The Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors are set to begin their second-round playoff series on Sunday.Both teams are coming off sweeps of their first-round opponents, with the C's defeating the Philadelphia 76ers and the Raptors taking down the Brooklyn Nets.The last time Boston and Toronto faced off, the Celtics cruised to a dominant 122-100 win with Jaylen Brown (20 points) and Jayson Tatum (18 points) leading the charge. Injuries happen. Now with a bit more hyperbole: Brown might just be the most important player in this matchup, which tips Sunday afternoon with Game 1.Brown will often be tasked with defending Pascal Siakam — Toronto’s most dynamic offensive player — and the Raptors will challenge Brown to make plays whenever their defensive focus is on Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum.Which is part of the reason we keep going back to one sequence from the last regular-season meeting between the Celtics and Raptors ...… From sticking with Siakam on that isolation drive and forcing a tough shot, to that chef’s kiss-worthy bounce pass for a Gordon Hayward layup, Brown lit the fuse on what turned into a mixtape of a third quarter for the Celtics in a lopsided win.It offered a glimpse of what Boston needs from Brown to thrive: Stout defense against Siakam, and an ability to create for himself and others while showcasing all the new weapons he’s carrying in his toolbox this season.Brown’s defensive versatility should really be in the spotlight this series. July 23, 2020 Boston Celtics star Kemba Walker has provided us with a rather optimistic update on the condition of his knee. The C's guard will miss his second straight game due to a sore left knee, the team announced Saturday. "Unfortunately it's still bothering me even after I’ve put in a lot of work and did the necessary things to try to get it right. "It’s interesting to me.
"Yeah, it's been frustrating," Walker said Thursday in a Zoom call with reporters. And while he was pleased with his performance, he knows there’s still room to improve.“It’s getting there,” Walker said, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “Today was probably the best I’ve felt out there. Head coach Brad Stevens revealed earlier this week Walker's knee swelled up and had to be drained. "Walker is expected to be limited to 15-20 minutes in Friday's seeding round opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, according to head coach Brad Stevens. That ailment caused him to miss 10 games between January and March, and he's still feeling its affects despite a four-month layoff due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But Stevens seemed encouraged by Walker's progress Thursday, noting his All-Star guard might be While Walker isn't thrilled about playing on a minutes restriction, the 30-year-old is also optimistic he'll hit his stride come playoff time. "This is the first time in my career I've ever had to go through this, so it's kind of tough," Walker said. But that doesn't mean it will be easy for the Celtics star. I know what it's about.
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Celtics are treating Kemba Walker’s knee issues as if it’s an injury because it is.
They play the Washington Wizards on Thursday, with tip-off scheduled for 12 p.m. ET.Pelicans Vs. Kings Live Stream: Watch NBA Seeding Game OnlineWhat Time Will Bruins-Hurricanes Game 1 Start? So, it's been something that's been nagging for a little bit now. "But I'll get there. Walker’s Injury Greatly Hampered His Production In 50 games with Boston this season, Walker averaged an impressive 21.2 points per game, along …