The Boston Celtics may have lost Kyrie Irving over the summer, but they replaced him with the next-best thing in Kemba Walker.

While Walker isn't as good as Irving, his game is probably more similar to his than any other player in the NBA, and he carries the added benefit of not being a toxic presence in the locker room, so perhaps he will be even better than Irving was in Boston.

Obviously, Walker will be the No. 1 scorer for the Celtics this season, even with Gordon Hayward looking healthier and sprier and Jayson Tatum seeming primed for a breakout year.

So, here are three last-second predictions for Walker with Boston's season opener looming on Wednesday.

3. His Shot Attempts Will Dip

Even though I just said Walker is clearly the Celtics'  No. 1 option, his shot attempts will probably dip from his last season with the Charlotte Hornets.

Walker averaged 20.5 field-goal attempts per game last season, but that came on a Hornets team that was pretty bereft of talent around him.

Now, Walker is in Boston with players like Hayward, Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Enes Kanter, all of whom can fill it up offensively and will command their fair share of shot attempts.

I'm not saying Walker's usage will take a nosedive, but, chances are, he won't be taking 20 shots per game. Not even Isaiah Thomas attempted 20 shots a night during his MVP-caliber season with the C's back in 2016-17.

2. He will Average 21 Points Per Game

Walker averaged 25.6 points per game last year, but again, that came on a Hornets club that relied almost exclusively on him for offensive production.

But this year, Walker will have the luxury of having several Celtics teammates who can take some of the scoring load off of him.

Remember: before Hayward's devastating leg injury in the 2017-18 season opener, he was a 20-point-per game scorer. Now that he has a full year of recovery under his belt, he might get back to averaging close to that this year.

Tatum is also a guy who could be registering in the neighborhood of 20 points per game this season, and while Brown likely won't be around that number, he could post around 15-16 points a night.

For that reason, Walker's scoring numbers will probably settle a bit. He has averaged 20.9, 23.2, 22.1 and 25.6 points per game over the last four seasons, so 21 points per game during his first season in Boston seems very realistic.

1. He'll Have the Most Efficient Year of His Career

We know what Brad Stevens does for point guards.

IT. Kyrie. Heck, even Jordan Crawford.

All of those guys enjoyed the most efficient seasons of their careers in Boston, and I don't see any reason why Walker won't follow along the same path.

Walker is an incredibly gifted scorer, but he is only moderately efficient, as he posted a true-shooting percentage of 55.8 percent last season. His career high in that category is 57.2 percent.

This year, I expect Walker to post a true-shooting percentage around 58-59 percent for the Celtics, as Stevens will put him in a situation where he gets better looks to fully take advantage of his talents.

The 29-year-old has never even shot 45 percent from the floor in his career, but I anticipate that will change in 2019-20.