NBA Playoffs 2020: 5 reasons the Boston Celtics can win it all

4. Kemba Walker can take over fourth quarters

Walker has a well-earned reputation as a clutch player that goes back to his collegiate days at UCONN. He lacks size at the point guard position, but that doesn’t stop him from carving up bigger guards that try to check him down the stretch.

The talented point guard was quietly having one of the most efficient offensive seasons of his career before the season was shut down. His effective field goal percentage of 52 percent through 50 games was actually the second-best mark of his career. The egalitarian nature of the Celtics’ offense has certainly made him a more efficient scorer in Boston.

Sharing the ball early in games will give Walker more energy to make tougher plays down the stretch. That’s why he will still be the team’s No. 1 option when it needs a bucket late in playoff games. That’s when his step-back jumper can be the most valuable weapon the Celtics have.

Walker may not be the first guy fans think of when they consider players they’d like to go to if they need a bucket late in a game. That doesn’t mean he won’t be an efficient weapon for the Celtics in those circumstances. Clutch shooting may be a myth, but efficiency isn’t. That’s what makes Walker a valuable weapon late in the fourth quarter.