The Boston Celtics’ Game 3 defeat was the kind that could demoralize a team and completely change the momentum of a series.
But Kemba Walker isn’t here for any of that.
Walker watched from the bench Thursday night as Raptors forward OG Anunoby scored a 3-point win with 0.5 seconds remaining to give Toronto a stunning win over Boston and push their second round streak 2-1 instead. that on 3-0 in favor of the C’s.
While Celtics winger Jaylen Brown called the loss a “fucking disgrace,” Walker took a more measured approach. According to Amanda Pflugrad of Celtics.com, the 30-year-old guard delivered an optimistic message to his teammates in a bout after the defeat.
“Let’s keep our heads up,” Walker told the Celtics. “We fought, we are still confident. We will win together and lose together, we just have to be prepared.”
That’s Walker’s true leadership, especially considering this is the first second-round playoff series of his career after two first-round blazes in eight seasons with Charlotte.
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The Celtics will have to be mentally tough in Game 4 against a reinvigorated Raptors team who apparently believe the door is now open for a series comeback after falling 2-0.
If the Cs can get back on track with a win Saturday night – pre-match coverage on NBC Sports Boston begins at 5:30 PM ET before the tip of 6:30 PM ET – it will be a testament to their mental strength and Walker’s strong leadership.
