For the second game in a row, Kemba Walker was kept out of the scoring column in another Knicks loss on Wednesday night.
The 31-year-old has battled lingering knee soreness and an exile to the bench by head coach Tom Thibodeau, but even now, as Walker battle through a glaring lack of efficiency, Thibodeau says he still believes in the struggling point guard.
“Not really,” Thibodeau said when asked of his worry level for Walker. “To me, Kemba is a proven scorer in this league. Players are gonna go through different things. When he’s open, I want him to see him shoot every single time. He can miss 10 in a row, I believe he will make 10 in a row.”
Walker has played 17 minutes in each of the last two games and hasn’t logged a point, and over his last 10 games, is shooting 31.6 percent from the field and 24 percent from downtown. But Thibodeau, who benched Walker for nine straight games earlier this season, doesn’t want Walker to stop shooting.
“Shoot your open shots, don’t hesitate and get the ball up the floor,” Thibodeau said. “What he has been doing is throwing the ball ahead really well, and that’s helped us. If you’re not shooting well, find something else you can do to help us with, and usually, he does.”
Walker continues to get his minutes, although that could change if this slide continues and Derrick Rose makes his return. But in the meantime, Alec Burks hasn’t been productive in a point guard role, while Immanuel Quickley hasn’t emerged as a clear candidate either. So, Thibodeau could continue rolling with Walker, even if he has struggled to score and has appeared to take a back seat in the offensive game plan, particularly the pick-and-roll.
“He can flow into pick-and-rolls at any time,” Thibodeau said. “I like him when he’s coming off screens to catch-and-shoot…just let him navigate through it. He’ll get going again.”
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