Kemba Walker, Robert Williams Both Doubtful For Celtics-Nets Game 5
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's not going to get any easier for the Celtics as the team looks to stave off elimination against the Nets. Kemba Walker and Robert Williams are both listed as doubtful for Tuesday's Game 5 in Brooklyn.
Both players missed Sunday night's Game 4 loss in Boston, which pushed the Celtics to the brink of elimination. The Nets can send the Celtics home for the summer with a win Tuesday night.
Walker missed Sunday night's loss with a left knee bruise, which is the same knee that has hampered him since last season. It's discouraging that the 31-year-old isn't healthy at this point, as the Celtics did everything they could to manage his minutes throughout the regular season. Walker didn't debut until mid-January and never played both ends of a back-to-back, with Boston hoping that he would be at full strength for the postseason. Walker averaged just under 32 minutes over his 43 games, putting up 19.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from the floor.
But Walker struggled in the first three games against Brooklyn, averaging just 12.7 points off 33 percent shooting. He hit just three of his 14 shots in Game 3 and finished with just six points in the Boston win.
Williams has been in and out of the lineup with a case of turf toe going back to the end of the regular season, and that has led to other ailments popping up in his left leg. He is now nursing a left ankle sprain, which forced him to depart Game 3 after just six minutes on the floor.
Tipoff for Tuesday night's Game 5 is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Barclays Center.