The NBA's newly redesigned All-Star Game last Sunday in Chicago drew praise for the intensity and competitiveness between the league's stars. However, one downside of the defensive-focused fourth quarter in pursuit of the “target score” was stars playing a high number of minutes, including Boston Celtics point guard Kemba Walker.
Walker was an All-Star starter for Team Giannis (who conveniently drafted the East starters while Team LeBron picked the West). After the intense All-Star Game loss, Walker had his knee drained.
With Walker set to miss Friday night's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Celtics point guard had to clarify his “minutes restriction” comments. Walker told the press he did not expect to play that much in the All-Star Game and that the event was not the “sole reason” for his absence on Friday, per NBC Sports Boston's A. Sherrod Blakely.
Kemba Walker clarified his comments after the All-Star game about being on a minutes restriction. He said he wasn't expecting he would play as much as he did, adding that the All-Star game was not the sole reason for him being out now.
— A. Sherrod Blakely (@ASherrodblakely) February 22, 2020
The Celtics are coming out of the break with one-third of the 2019-20 season to play. They're hoping for a final playoff push to put them in top contention in the postseason. At 38-16, Boston owns the third seed at the moment in the East, trailing behind only last year's Eastern Conference finalists, the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.
As currently seeded, the Celtics would face off in the first round against the Indiana Pacers, who they defeated in the quarterfinals last year. The Pacers look radically different, though, due to Victor Oladipo returning back from healthy and Domantas Sabonis turning into an All-Star, along with the additions of Malcolm Brogdon and T.J. Warren.
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