The short-handed Boston Celtics suffer another injury blow as talisman Paul Pierce races against time to recover from a bruised heel ….
Boston Celtics veteran small forward Paul Pierce might not play in the NBA’s season opening fixture on Christmas Day. The Celtics are poised to take on the New York Knicks in a curtain raiser for the shortened NBA season 2011-2012,
but Pierce will be hoping against hope to make the game.
He hasn’t taken part in either of the club’s two pre-season games thanks to a bruised heel and the injury could keep him out of the Knicks game. Celtics head coach Doc Rivers confirmed the situation and told ESPN that the club
captain hadn’t taken part in any training so far,
"No, he didn't do anything [Friday]," Rivers said. "He seems to be working more -- as far as working out. We'll see [Saturday]. I still think it's doubtful [he'll play], but we'll see.”
Paul will take another fitness test on Saturday before the team departs for New York, and his coach believed that the player could decide to give it a go.
"Tomorrow we'll know better. But he could be [available]. Paul may wake up and say, 'Coach, I want to go.'”
In any case though, Rivers is determined to play it safe and only allow Pierce on the court for a little while.
“I can tell you this, it'd be very unlikely he'll start if he plays. I don't think that will happen. So if he does play, he'll play 15 to 20 minutes, but right now I don't see him going."
He contended that the decision was neither his nor Paul’s, it was the medical staff that will have a final say. The Celtics do not want to risk injuries this early in the season.
"It's medical staff decision -- 100 percent a medical staff decision," Rivers said. "I think this year it's really going to have to be that. Because we can't trust [the player] in that.”
Boston have an aging roster and the head coach knows he will have to use veterans like Paul, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett with the utmost care. It doesn’t help that Boston don’t have too much in the name of depth this time around
and haven’t had too much success in the trade market or the free agency so far.
In fact, they suffered a mighty blow even before the season was started when energetic small forward Jeff Green was ruled out for the complete season. A heart condition detected during a routine medical requires Green to have surgery
and a subsequent rehabilitation period that means he can only feature for the Celtics next season.
In such circumstances, it is no surprise that Rivers is treading a cautious line when dealing with health issues of an already depleted roster.
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