The best point guards tend to enjoy interacting with people and are very comfortable in their own skin. They don’t waste time trapped inside their minds, and go about their business in a manner that makes those around them feel comfortable being themselves running on parquet as opposed to walking on eggshells.
If a point guard brings all those qualities to work every day, he’s a point guard who elevates the performance of those around him without even trying. Nine-year NBA veteran Kemba Walker, in his first season with the Boston Celtics, already has demonstrated he is a point guard who makes those around him better.
That’s not always an easy juggling act for a point guard who also happens to be a high-volume shooter, but Walker is doing it for the Celtics. Even with a two-game losing streak that they took into this bizarre five-day break in the schedule, which ends Wednesday night in Dallas, the Celtics have the fourth-best record (17-7) in the Eastern Conference.
Walker’s not moody, carries himself like someone who enjoys coming to work every day and he clearly enjoys having more talent around him than at any point in his life.
On paper, after losing two starters, including Al Horford, the Celtics had the look of a team that didn’t have reason to expect improvement off last season’s 48-win regular season and faced a tough challenge in matching that total. Here they are 29 percent of the way through the schedule and on a pace to win 58 games.
When at their best, the Celtics keep the ball moving so rapidly that eventually the defense can’t keep up with the ball and whichever player has it in his hands at that point takes the shot. Surrounded by three elite talents in Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Walker’s shooting a career-best .407 from 3-point range.
Thanks in part to the ball moving better than a year ago and in part to the players feeling comfortable being themselves, Brown and Hayward are posting better shooting stats as well. Brown’s 2-point percentage has spiked from .529 to .567, his 3-point mark from .344 to .374. Hayward’s 2-point percentage has risen from .542 to .613, his 3-point accuracy from .333 to .395.
Celtics Coach Brad Stevens gave Walker high praise when the Philadelphia 76ers were in Boston last week by comparing his demeanor and leadership style to that of Al Horford.
“I think they’re similar in a lot of ways,” Stevens said. “They have a very similar way about them. Neither are super loud when they talk, very much worth listening to.”
They don’t create unnecessary noise. They keep their eye on the prize. They’re respected by their co-workers just by being themselves. In short, they’re the type of winners who make those playing with them better.
The fact the Celtics have improved after losing Horford says a lot about how seamlessly Walker has fit into his new team and how well Daniel Theis has taken advantage of his first opportunity as a starting NBA center.
Now that Walker leads the way without any unnecessary noise, and nobody’s questioning the extremely talented coach’s methods, the Celtics’ locker room is a good growth atmosphere for young players seeking improvement.
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