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Thibodeau Opens Up About Delayed Return of Knicks’ Kemba Walker

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Thibodeau Opens Up About Delayed Return of Knicks’ Kemba Walker
Kemba Walker, Knicks

It has been practically three weeks now since one of many higher NBA tales of the early a part of the season—the autumn and rise of Kemba Walker in New York—was put again on maintain, as Walker was shut down by the workforce with a recurrence of the persistent left knee downside he has battled for a lot of the previous few years of his profession.

Walker has not performed since December 29, a nine-game stretch through which the workforce has gone 5-4 and has managed wins in 5 of its final seven video games

Based on coach Tom Thibodeau, Walker is near returning however the workforce needs him to return again and stay wholesome as soon as he’s in uniform once more.


Tom Thibodeau | Knicks Postgame (01/17)Tom Thibodeau met with the media following the Knicks loss in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets on January 17, 2022.2022-01-17T21:16:09Z

“The large factor is, concerning Kemba is I need him to really feel nearly as good as doable,’’ Thibodeau mentioned, after Monday’s loss to the Hornets. “A participant like him, within the state of affairs that he’s in, I need him to utterly belief the place he’s together with his physique. When he’s prepared, he’s prepared. He’ll tell us. We belief him.

“He’s fairly shut. He’s loading up fairly good. When he’s there, we’ll know. He’ll know. That’s a very powerful factor. I feel as a professional athlete, a professional athlete has to belief his physique.’’


Walker Had Momentum in Late December

Nonetheless, it will be good to achieve again a number of the momentum that Walker appeared to have within the run-up to the New Yr, through which he had a four-game run averaging 26.0 factors, 7.0 assists and eight.3 rebounds.

It’s laborious to say whether or not Walker will come again and discover the identical function ready for him as when he left. The Knicks are nonetheless scrambling at level guard however have appeared to discover a rotation with which Thibodeau is comfy, that includes Alec Burks and R.J. Barrett as combo guards with the starters, and Immanuel Quickley getting good minutes off the bench.

Again when the Knicks have been determining what to do with Walker, Thibodeau was adamant that he would use Walker as a starter or under no circumstances. It was an odd stance to take—particularly since Walker mentioned he can be OK with coming off the bench—however Thibodeau did keep it up, and all 24 of Walker’s appearances have been as a starter.


Walker Must Get Again to ‘Recreation Depth’

Actually, “loading up fairly good,” sounds encouraging and will point out that Walker’s return is pending. However Thibodeau was requested to elaborate on what, precisely, the phrase means on this case.

“There’s nothing that may replicate the depth of a recreation,” Thibodeau mentioned. “So when you might have a time period off and also you’re not doing something, there must be a gradual build-up to get you to the place you’ll be able to take the contact and be comfy with it. In order that’s the place he’s. He’s ramped up fairly good, however he hasn’t taken sufficient contact but. As soon as he will get to that time, then he’ll be able to go.”

The Knicks will probably be again at it on Tuesday evening at residence in opposition to Minnesota, hoping to get a W in opposition to a workforce that has additionally received 5 of its final seven video games.