NEW YORK — Kemba Walker’s Christmas began with him being officially given back his starting point guard spot.
He then delivered New York Knicks fans a 101-87 victory over the Trae Young-less Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden, and did so in style: by recording the third triple-double of his career, and the first by a Knick on Christmas Day.
“It was amazing,” Walker said after finishing with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in 40 minutes in New York’s matinee win, becoming the seventh player to record a triple-double on Christmas in NBA history. “Those are moments you dream about, you know?
“It’s kind of hard to put it into words, to be honest. It was special, just to be home, with that New York on my chest … a New York City kid, born and raised. It felt amazing.”
Saturday marked Walker’s fourth game back on the court since coach Tom Thibodeau was forced to renege on his decision to bench Walker when the Knicks found themselves without virtually any other guard because of both injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak within the team.
In his return last Saturday in Boston, Walker scored 29 points against the Celtics (his first game in Boston since being traded away in the summer). He then scored 21 in a win over Detroit on Tuesday and poured in 44 in a loss to Washington on Thursday before his triple-double to beat Atlanta.
Even before Saturday’s win, however, Thibodeau had seen enough to declare Walker had earned his starting spot back on a permanent basis, now that the Knicks (15-18) are returning to full strength. There had been some question as to whether New York would put Walker back on the bench and start Alec Burks at point guard.
But Thibodeau — who had said after Friday’s practice he wants to get New York’s bench unit back to playing like it was earlier in the season when Burks was on it — said Walker would be staying in the starting five.
“No,” Thibodeau said before the game when asked whether keeping Walker in the starting…
Source : espn
