During the first half of the 2000s, Antoine Walker was one of the best power forwards in the league with the Celtics: averaging 20.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.5 steals between 1996 and 2003, including three All-Star Game appearances (1998, 2002 and 2003).
Unfortunately, despite “Toine” but also Paul Pierce, Boston never did better than a conference final in 2002 and it was finally down to Miami that the 6th choice of the 1996 Draft will shine collectively, starting in 2005. After unremarkable stints with the Mavericks, the Hawks and… the Celtics for two years, here he is who then lands in Florida to help Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal aim higher.
A passage to the Heat significant for Antoine Walker, both for what was happening on and off the court…
” Shaq was partying a lot back then… » he remembers. ” We would go out on nights out and just relax. It was a fun season, we had a lot of fun. We probably could have won 60 games if we hadn't started off well, but we still won 52 and we always knew it was going to be tough to beat us in a seven-game series. Once it got going and we were together, we knew it.. »
Lots of fun and success…
Despite this visibly frantic and exhausting pace, Antoine Walker and his Miami teammates actually managed to win 52 games in the regular season, resulting in a 2nd place in the East, before going on to win 16 games, synonymous with a playoff title.
” I always say that I have never partied and played so much in my life. ” continues the retiree, now 48 years old. ” That '15-Strong' slogan was so powerful… We hung out together all the time and there was never any internal trouble. It was a really special season and I'll always remember it. My college title was something special, but [mon titre en NBA] was also because it was on the biggest stage, with these guys. »
No doubt the post-title celebrations of Antoine Walker and company must have been just as boozy and festive as their regular season habits. Unfortunately, in 2006–07, Pat Riley's men would not be able to follow up, losing in the first round of the playoffs after a season marked by injuries to the Wade/O'Neal duo.
| Antoine Walker | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 1996-97 | BOS | 82 | 36 | 42.5 | 32.7 | 63.1 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 9.0 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 17.5 |
| 1997-98 | BOS | 82 | 40 | 42.3 | 31.2 | 64.5 | 3.3 | 6.9 | 10.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 22.4 |
| 1998-99 | BOS | 42 | 37 | 41.2 | 36.9 | 55.9 | 2.5 | 6.0 | 8.6 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 18.7 |
| 1999-00 | BOS | 82 | 37 | 43.0 | 25.6 | 69.9 | 2.4 | 5.5 | 8.0 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 1.4 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 20.5 |
| 2000-01 | BOS | 81 | 42 | 41.3 | 36.7 | 71.6 | 1.9 | 7.0 | 8.9 | 5.5 | 3.1 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 23.4 |
| 2001-02 | BOS | 81 | 42 | 39.4 | 34.4 | 74.1 | 1.9 | 7.0 | 8.8 | 5.0 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.5 | 22.2 |
| 2002-03 | BOS | 78 | 42 | 38.8 | 32.3 | 61.5 | 1.3 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 3.3 | 0.4 | 20.1 |
| 2003-04 | DAL | 82 | 35 | 42.8 | 26.9 | 55.4 | 2.4 | 5.9 | 8.3 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 14.0 |
| 2004-05 * | All Teams | 77 | 38 | 42.2 | 32.3 | 53.9 | 2.4 | 6.7 | 9.0 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 3.3 | 0.8 | 19.1 |
| 2004-05 * | ATL | 53 | 40 | 41.5 | 31.7 | 53.4 | 2.4 | 7.0 | 9.4 | 3.7 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 20.4 |
| 2004-05 * | BOS | 24 | 35 | 44.2 | 34.2 | 55.7 | 2.3 | 5.9 | 8.3 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 16.3 |
| 2005-06 | MIA | 82 | 27 | 43.5 | 35.8 | 62.8 | 1.3 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 12.2 |
| 2006-07 | MIA | 78 | 23 | 39.7 | 27.5 | 43.8 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 8.5 |
| 2007-08 | MIN | 46 | 19 | 36.3 | 32.4 | 53.0 | 1.2 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 8.0 |
| Total | 893 | 35 | 41.4 | 32.5 | 63.3 | 2.1 | 5.6 | 7.7 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 17.5 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
