Is Kemba the new "Injured Irving" of the Celtics?

[MikeB12]

Kemba has missed 13 games so far this year...was hoping for better than that in terms of games played when he became a Celtic.

I assume the C's will need him full-strength for the playoffs in order for them to advance to at least the Eastern Finals but I'm beginning to wonder if that is wishful thinking.

Kemba's absence has allowed Tatum to break out in terms of his game which is nice but how far can the Celts go without him being a main contributor...

MikeB  (Celtics fan back to the Russell days..)

[Roy H.]

Kemba isn’t brittle like Kyrie. He only missed six games the past four seasons.

I think he’ll be healthy when it counts.

[Monkhouse]

Kemba has missed 13 games so far this year...was hoping for better than that in terms of games played when he became a Celtic.

I assume the C's will need him full-strength for the playoffs in order for them to advance to at least the Eastern Finals but I'm beginning to wonder if that is wishful thinking.

Kemba's absence has allowed Tatum to break out in terms of his game which is nice but how far can the Celts go without him being a main contributor...

MikeB  (Celtics fan back to the Russell days..)

Irving has never played 82 games like ever. Kemba has played 2 seasons.

Irving only has 3 seasons of more than 70 games, Kemba has 6 seasons of that.

[Neurotic Guy]

Who knows?  My guess is that Kemba will play through just about anything once the playoffs start.  That was a sense I never got from Kyrie.

[gouki88]

Kemba has been rested a lot, and has a track record of being durable. We couldn’t really get Kyrie on the court a lot of the time. Very different.

I also think they’re being very cautious with Kemba leading into the playoff run.

[wiley]

It should take more than some injury concerns to illicit a comparison....

[Csfan1984]

I like giving Kemba rest. Let's the other guys grow more and we get some of the team's younger guys a little play. If Kemba was playing more doubt we would get Langford minutes. Smart has had some really good assist games. Brown is more consistent and Tatum took a leadership role. Hayward isn't himself yet but he may need a more set the table PG like Kemba to be better.

[saltlover]

Assuming Kemba plays in at least half of the C’s remaining games,  Kyrie will have missed more games this season alone than Kemba has his entire career.  Comparing the two is... wrong.

[Phantom255x]

We're actually comparing the durability of Kemba vs. Kyrie over the last 3+ years?? LOL

[Monkhouse]

We're actually comparing the durability of Kemba vs. Kyrie over the last 3+ years?? LOL

Yeah this is a pointless thread to be honest.

A simple google search online or basketball reference would've shown that Walker has been the one of the most durable PG's in the past 4 years.

[gouki88]

Assuming Kemba plays in at least half of the C’s remaining games,  Kyrie will have missed more games this season alone than Kemba has his entire career.  Comparing the two is... wrong.

Lol, that really is a crazy fact.

[MikeB12]

I understand and already knew that Kemba was not nearly as injured prone IN THE PAST as Irving... I'm talking about this year.  My concern is how bad is his injury THIS YEAR.

Just because Kemba hasn't been injured much in the past doesn't mean his injury this year isn't troubling.  I don't care if about the past; I care about this year and whether or not he will be able to play at a high level the rest of the year and into the playoffs.

Don't think the past means much considering what we have seen so far this year.  IMO the reason Brad has "rested" Kemba is because he does have an injury of some sort not just to give him some time off.   The issue is how bad is the injury.

MikeB

[Fafnir]

I think the C's are going to give him some extra time for any injury he has given his age, contract, and the team's goals.

Its a concern, but look at how much Kyrie was able to play this season and his two seasons with the C's. Just not the same magnitude of an issue.