Evan Fournier, Kemba Walker lead rally but Knicks lose to Celtics

BOSTON — Day after day, as the Knicks lost more and more players, coach Tom Thibodeau was asked if it was time for Kemba Walker to play again. The answer ultimately was no; he racked up 10 straight games without any playing time.

But with the Knicks down six players to the NBA’s health and safety protocols and Derrick Rose sidelined with a sore right ankle, the desperate measures reached a breaking point Saturday night. So shortly before game time, the Knicks announced that Walker would be in the starting lineup.

In what looked like a storybook night for the amiable Bronx native, he scored a season-high 29 points and combined with another beleaguered former Celtic, Evan Fournier, to carry the Knicks for much of the night against Boston.

Fournier scored 32 points and combined with Walker to lead an improbable third-quarter rally, but the magic ran out for the Knicks in a 114-107 loss to the Celtics at TD Garden.

The feel-good story came to an end afterward when Walker addressed all of the elephants in the room. He stressed his desire to support the team and his teammates, but he also said,

"I hate it. I want to play. It is what it is. Guys went down. I got to fill in, do what I can until they get back."

Asked if he made a statement with his play, he said, "Yeah, I know I should be playing, so no question. It feels great. But whatever situation I’m in, I’m gonna stay locked in, stay prepared. Whatever the team needs from me, I’ll be there for them."

Asked if he wants to remain in New York, a place he was so excited to return to in the offseason, he said, "I want to play."

If it was a revenge game for former Celtics Walker and Fournier, the question might be: Who was the revenge actually against? The Celtics traded Walker and let Fournier depart as a free agent after a brief time in Boston, but it was the Knicks who benched Walker and sat out Fournier in nearly every fourth quarter.

"That’s extremely tough what he did," Fournier said. "You probably don’t realize how much of an impact that has on you to not play a minute for so long and to be able to come out here with rhythm, with confidence. It shows who Kemba is. We all know his resume. I was very happy to see him smiling again."

Asked if he was surprised to see what Walker did after the long absence, Thibodeau said, "That’s what he’s supposed to do. He’s a pro, great character, played well."

Asked if he would reconsider not playing him off the bench when some of the others return, he said, "We’ll see. We have to look at everything in totality."

The Knicks were desperately shorthanded at guard, with Miles McBride placed in COVID-19 protocols Saturday morning a day after Immanuel Quickley was sidelined for the same reason, Quentin Grimes also in the protocols and Rose hurting. Maybe it was tired legs or a return to reality for Walker and Fournier, but they wore out as the minutes rose.

Walker had 17 points and Fournier 11 in the Knicks’ 41-point third quarter. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, the Knicks took an 88-86 lead into the fourth period, but Fournier and Walker totaled only four points in the quarter as the Knicks were outscored 28-19.

Julius Randle had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists but shot 6-for-19 overall and 1-for-7 from three-point range. Alec Burks added 19 points. Burks, Randle and Fournier all played more than 40 minutes for the Knicks, who used only eight players.

Reserve Josh Richardson scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Celtics. Jayson Tatum finished with 25 and Jaylen Brown had 23.

By Steve Popper

steve.popper@newsday.com@StevePopper

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.