Kemba Walker Won't Play for Celtics in Game 4 vs. Nets Due to Knee Injury

Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker has been ruled out for Sunday's Game 4 against the Brooklyn Nets because of a knee injury.

This comes as no surprise, as head coach Brad Stevens previously told reporters earlier Sunday that Walker was "unlikely" to play.

Walker most recently missed time with an oblique strain at the end of April, but the start of his season was delayed because of injuries. After he was nagged by discomfort in the bubble in Orlando, Florida, Walker had a stem cell injection in his left knee this offseason. He missed almost the first month of the season to recover.

Since returning, he has been having a quieter year in a Boston offense that features an All-Star in Jayson Tatum.

He averaged 19.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game. His 42.0 shooting percentage is his lowest since 2014-15, and he hasn't averaged fewer than 20 points in a season since then either.

While he's sidelined, Marcus Smart will have an even more important role in the backcourt and should be helped out by Payton Pritchard and Evan Fournier.