Kemba Walker returns to Knicks lineup after missing nine games

The Knicks have finally gotten their point guard back.

Kemba Walker returned to the New York starting lineup on Tuesday after missing nine games. He'd been sidelined since the end of 2021 with a sore left knee.

Walker was scratched from the Knicks' lineup on Dec. 31 after reporting a funny feeling in his knee during warm-ups. Coach Tom Thibodeau called it a last-minute scratch at the time.

It derailed what was a momentous stretch for Walker, who was on a scorching-hot tear after being benched at the end of November. He dropped 29 points in his first game back before scoring 21 in his second game, then made an emphatic statement with a 44 point performance on Dec. 23.

He kept the ball rolling on the biggest stage, logging a triple-double in a Christmas Day win for the Knicks. Just four days and two games later though, he was sidelined once again, albeit for different reasons.

Entering Tuesday, Walker was averaging 13.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game on 41.4 percent shooting and 40. 3 percent from 3-point range.