mafra
Legend
Walker, who was traded away by the Celtics this offseason, said he spent time with his former teammates after the contest. He said it wasn't weird playing against them in his first game as a Knick.
"Maybe if I was somewhere else it would've been weird," Walker said. "But being that I'm with the home team, nah, it wasn't weird. I just felt like everybody just kind of had my back, you know? My teammates, the city, the fans, everybody. It wasn't weird. I have a lot of love for those guys. You could see it before the game. I have a great relationship, man.
"I just came from the locker room with those guys, talking to those guys. Those are my brothers. Those are my brothers. Over the last two years, we became really close. So, for me being on a different team, it's not going to change anything."
The feelings were mutual from the other side.
"That's my guy, man," said Brown, whose 46 points were the most ever scored by a Celtics player in a season opener, surpassing Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Bob Cousy (35 apiece). "Can't say enough good things about Kemba Walker. He's just one of those guys that you like to be around, man.
"Kemba was great for me and my time in Boston. He was warm, he was accepting, he allowed me to be myself. Some guys get envious or things like that. Not Kemba Walker, man. So, I'm very grateful for the time I spent and things I got to learn. It was great sharing the floor with him. I'm happy for him being in his hometown. I said hello to his family -- his mom was at the game -- so it was great."
"Maybe if I was somewhere else it would've been weird," Walker said. "But being that I'm with the home team, nah, it wasn't weird. I just felt like everybody just kind of had my back, you know? My teammates, the city, the fans, everybody. It wasn't weird. I have a lot of love for those guys. You could see it before the game. I have a great relationship, man.
"I just came from the locker room with those guys, talking to those guys. Those are my brothers. Those are my brothers. Over the last two years, we became really close. So, for me being on a different team, it's not going to change anything."
The feelings were mutual from the other side.
"That's my guy, man," said Brown, whose 46 points were the most ever scored by a Celtics player in a season opener, surpassing Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Bob Cousy (35 apiece). "Can't say enough good things about Kemba Walker. He's just one of those guys that you like to be around, man.
"Kemba was great for me and my time in Boston. He was warm, he was accepting, he allowed me to be myself. Some guys get envious or things like that. Not Kemba Walker, man. So, I'm very grateful for the time I spent and things I got to learn. It was great sharing the floor with him. I'm happy for him being in his hometown. I said hello to his family -- his mom was at the game -- so it was great."