Appreciated Kemba Walker who made most of the first trip in the second round as the Celtics take the lead 2-0 over the Raptors

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – Kemba Walker chose to come to the Boston Celtics as a free agent last summer to finally get the chance to do a post-season run.

So it was no surprise that Walker, after hitting the two biggest hits of the game to lead Boston to a 102-99 win on Tuesday over the Toronto Raptors in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal, was grinning from ear to ear. in The Field House at Walt Disney World Resort.

In his ninth NBA season, Walker finds himself for the first time in the second round of the NBA playoffs – and now he’s two wins from a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals.

“You know,” Walker said when asked why he celebrated with a round on the pitch while beating his fist, “you know what I’ve been through. Everyone knows what I’ve been through … I’ve never been round two.

“And, many times in my career, in games like that, it probably would have been a blast. But for me to have these guys, who can come forward and make great plays like they did, man, is special. And it’s a great feeling to know. that the guys have their backs to me like that. I really appreciate my teammates. “

The “game of the genre” that Walker was referring to was that he rolled 2 for 14 for three quarters. During the first eight years of his career, when the guard was the only force around which the Charlotte Hornets were built, such a performance would have sunk his team’s chances of victory.

Instead, Walker is now surrounded by a group that can pick him up. For much of the match, support came from Jayson Tatum, who finished with 34 points – including 14 of 14 from the free-throw line – to go with 8 rebounds and 6 assists.

But in the fourth quarter, Walker and Marcus Smart took over, scoring a total of 27 out of 9 out of 10 points to overtake the Raptors alone and give the Celtics a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven series.

The fireworks began with Smart, the Boston handyman guard, giving his best attempt to embody the Human Torch in the first minutes of the fourth quarter, hitting five consecutive 3-pointers that help wipe out the eight-point lead. of Toronto.

Having a Marcus Smart in your life will be better ????

– Vincent Poirier (@ viinze_17P) 2 September 2020

Smart’s latest triple arrived with legs twitching as he tried to equalize a foul, which he did. He then hit the free throw to give the Celtics the lead.

“It’s just me,” Smart said when asked where he gets his trust from. “Growing up, I’ve always had faith in myself. It’s just what it is. I believe in myself. I’ve always had it and always will.”

Smart finished 6 of 11 from 3 points and, together with his 5 of 9 in Race 1, is 11 of 20 in the series. It’s a blast reminiscent of Raptors guard Fred VanVleet in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. Smart went 2 of 15 of 3 points against Philadelphia in the previous round; last year, VanVleet shot 1 in 14 from behind the arc against the Sixers.

“This is a good comparison,” said Raptors manager Nick Nurse. “I didn’t think about it but it’s a pretty good comparison. Obviously they have a lot of firepower around and they have a wild card, I mean, listen, he’s a great player and he’s a veteran who’s been around forever.

“But he’s kind of a wild card scorer for them and he’s had two great games for them.”

So after Smart put the Celtics back into play, Walker took them home. After struggling for three quarters, Walker went a perfect 4 for 4 in the quarter – including a 3-point left flank with 2:24 remaining to double Boston’s lead, then a jumper with a right elbow step back with 41, 6 seconds remaining.

Walker was the only Celtic to make a field goal in the last five minutes and the only Celtics player to score in the last three, allowing Boston to have just enough to survive and put a grip on the series.

“I’ve missed so many hits in my life,” Walker said. “I have lost so many shots during my career. I will never break down on myself. I will find a way to help my teammates. I thought tonight, I thought I remained solid in defense, which was the most important thing.

“My teammates held it down. Smart came into play, did some huge 3s, [Tatum] he played well throughout the game, many guys made excellent contributions. And basically, staying confident.

“I work hard on my game. I thought I was looking good and they weren’t falling. It happens to the best of us. I stayed aggressive and stayed inside myself.”

In the past, Walker had to go to great lengths to win his team. Now he just needs to do shows when it counts. It’s a formula that Boston used during these playoffs, where the Celtics are 6-0.

That’s why Walker is, for the first time in his NBA career, in the midst of a long run of playoffs. And with two more wins, the Celtics will return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in four years.

“We have to keep playing desperate,” said Smart. “Even though we are at the top, we have to play as if we are falling. We have to play to win, not to lose. Many teams at this point, play to not lose instead of just being who they are. For us, this is becoming kids, play a great defense and move the ball on offense. “