Celtics players view the injury that Kemba Walker suffered Friday in Denver as a chance to prove they can overcome adversity, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The team provided an update on Walker’s condition in a tweet this morning, declaring him doubtful for tomorrow’s game with the Kings because of a neck sprain. There’s no word on how long he might be out of action.
Walker was carried off the court after colliding with teammate Semi Ojeleye while chasing a loose ball. He was taken to an area hospital, but was released in time to join the Celtics for their flight back to Boston. Bulpett notes that Walker experienced neck problems while playing in the FIBA World Cup this summer.
“You always miss one of your better guys, but it’s just the circumstance right now,” Marcus Smart said. “He’s injured. But I think it gives us a lot of confidence to understand that we can still compete with anybody when he’s gone. So when he comes back, I mean, we’re just going to be that much better, you know? So that’s what it’s about. I can’t wait ’til he gets back, personally.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Smart is unhappy with the way the Nuggets handled an exchange with a fan during Friday’s game, Bulpett relays in a separate story. Smart claims he was taunted after going out of bounds, and he doesn’t believe security did anything about it. “We’re going to end up protecting ourselves eventually, and it’s not going to be pretty for the fans, and we don’t want that,” he said. “The league doesn’t want that, we don’t want that as players, but at some point you’ve got to stand up and you’ve got to protect yourself as a man.”
- Brad Wanamaker has shown some encouraging signs that he can fill in for Walker while he’s sidelined, notes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Wanamaker averaged 11 PPG during the five-game road trip while shooting 51.5% from the field and 50% from 3-point range.
- Jayson Tatum is probably the NBA’s thriftiest player, according to Kathleen Elkins of CNBC. Tatum, who has a $7.83MM salary this season, puts all his checks from the Celtics into savings and lives on the money he makes from endorsements. “When I picked my agent, I told him I want to do as much off-the-court stuff as I can,” Tatum recently told The Boston Globe. “Right now I’m young, so I try to do everything as much as possible. … Tomorrow is not promised. You’re not promised the next contract. You want to save all the money you can.”
I don’t understand why Nuggets security didn’t kick that courtside seat holder out of the game. I get that the guy has a ticket in his hand, and therefore is entitled to watch the game, but I can’t imagine Marcus Smart would make that story up.
More to the point, any performer at any concert, any Broadway play, any public event, can kick ticket holders out for any reason at any time. The nuggets could have asked the guy to leave and gave him a refund, simply because Marcus Smart asked them to.
This whole courtside thing is baloney anyways. Those seats shouldn’t exist…
There was a fan last season who got banned after a similar incident with Russell Westbrook. But these things have to be judged on a case by case basis. Are you going to start kicking out fans simply for booing a certain player?
Booing? No. But if a player complains about someone, that should be enough.
It’s not crazy to suggest that players should be able to do their jobs without being threatened by fans. Especially courtside seats, considering how much those costs and how much of a privilege those seats are.
As long as a fan doesn’t touch a player or threaten them, all else is fair game
If you saw a player outside the arena and told him he stinks or peven flipping him the bird (as in westbrooks case) he still cant hit you (as what I’m assuming Smart is referencing by the players protecting themselves)
So why wouldn’t you be able to boo and jeer or make gestures at the opposing team during a game and not be thrown out
I’m not saying a throat slash gesture or pulling out your junk. We all know theres a line. But I dont think some curse words a the middle finger are crossing it
You get paid millions to play a game, get thicker skin
First of all, if you saw a player on the street and you made a physical threat, you could be arrested for that. So I’m not sure your analogy holds up.
Second, no one is saying you can’t boo.
Three, shouldn’t courtside ticket holders be held to a higher standard? I mean, they can’t stand up and go to the bathroom anytime they want to, and most arenas won’t let them go to the concession stand either. Is it crazy to say “If you sit here, don’t be a jerk”?
Good for Tatum, he has a future as a financial consultant.