Boston Celtics veterans Ray Allen, Paul Pierce battle with injuries – NBA Update
The aging Boston Celtics played terrifically after the All-Star Weekend this NBA season and showed the league that they still have enough in the tank to upset the most powerful teams. The Celtics performances were all the more impressive considering the fact that the roster had been devastated by one injury after the other.
Boston are facing familiar troubles again now as the post season draws closer, with two of the elder statesmen dealing with health issues. Ray Allen and team captain Paul Pierce have both taken knocks, although the former is in more discomfort than the latter.
"I think he's frustrated," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of Allen. "You want to go for it this year, and his body's not cooperating. (And that's) for a guy whose body's always cooperated before."
Allen has been locked in battle against an ankle injury in the second half of the current NBA campaign. The injury forced him to miss a number of games earlier, resulting in the emergence of young guard Avery Bradley as a viable option for Boston.
Allen was eventually moved to the bench, a move designed to serve the dual purpose of helping Bradley’s development, who was promoted to the starters, and of easing the load on Ray. It wasn’t long before his injury flared up again forcing the future Hall of Famer to sit out Boston’s last few games.
"It's always frustrating when you're sitting out," said Paul Pierce. "Ray is one of the great competitors in the league. I'm sure it eats at him every single day he can't practice and every single game he can't play."
Pierce himself had to be taken out of Boston’s last game due to a sprained toe, although the forward did practice on Friday. He too has missed parts of the campaign through injury but has found his rhythm in the last month or so, putting in some impressive performances.
Along with Allen and Kevin Garnett, Pierce is part of the Celtics Big Three. The trio came together in 2007 and won the NBA World Championship in 2008, re-establishing Boston as a power house in the NBA.
With all three in the twilight of their illustrious careers, and with contract issues clouding up the future, they know that this season might be their last hurrah. Pierce believes that has spurred them on and the veterans will be giving it a go in the playoffs.
"We don't know what's going to happen in the future," Pierce said. "There's definitely a sense of urgency there. A lot of things are going to be up in the air this summer. We want to try to get it done one last time."
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