Kemba Walker: 'I felt like I was hurting my teammates'

Kemba Walker played arguably the biggest role in the Charlotte Hornets' turnaround, but there came a point where he believed he was doing more harm than good. 

Walker was bothered by a knee injury that was later diagnosed as a meniscus tear, forcing him to undergo surgery and halting a terrific stretch of play for the fourth-year guard. He's missed the team's last five games and isn't expected to return until some point in March.

He missed a pair of games leading up to the surgery, but was playing some of the best basketball of his career prior to that. Walker powered the Hornets to a 9-5 stretch, including a season-high five-game winning streak in January, and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. 

The 24-year-old averaged 24 points per game during a 20-game stretch in December and January, up over five points from his season average, but knew the knee issue had to be addressed. 

"There were certain things I couldn't do," Walker said, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. "I felt like I was hurting my teammates. I wasn't really doing anything to help. So it was a choice I had to make and it was a good one for me."

So far the Hornets have continued to play well during his absence, winning four of five games. The team is 6-1 on the season without Walker, its leader in scoring, assists and steals. 

Walker is working out daily on a stationary bike without any noticeable limp or discomfort, according to Bonnell. Although he's feeling better, he won't be rushing back to the court as the Hornets fight to hold onto one of the final playoff spots in the Eastern Conference. 

"Right now I'm taking things slow. I want to be 100 percent when I come back," he said. "I started riding the bike two days ago. As the weeks go by, I'll do more and more."

Charlotte, which enters Saturday riding a three-game winning streak, has a 22-27 record, good enough for seventh place in the lowly East.