Xylus
12-30-2009, 04:03 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=4782632
Celtics could be shorthanded vs. Suns
Losers of two straight games, the Boston Celtics could be without Kevin Garnett (sore right knee) for Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns, and perhaps longer.
The Celtics already will be shorthanded against the Suns. They will be without Glen Davis (mild right ankle sprain) and Paul Pierce (right knee) and could also be missing Rajon Rondo, who is questionable with a sore left hamstring.
The Celtics ruled out Davis earlier Wednesday and deemed Garnett a game-time decision.
"If I do decide to sit [Garnett], I'm not sitting him for one game. I can tell you that," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told Comcast Sportsnet. "I told Kevin that."
Rivers told Comcast that if he decided to sit Garnett, he would probably keep him out two games until about Jan. 6, when the Celtics face the Heat, or longer. He said he wasn't sure if that was the direction he was going to take with Garnett but that he was "leaning that way heavily."
"It's early in the season," Rivers told Comcast. "We got tonight and we got two days, and then we got three days after that. To me, if you're going to rest guys, this is the perfect time to do it."
Garnett was accidentally kicked in the knee -- the same one that was surgically repaired in the offseason -- in Monday's loss to the Golden State Warriors. Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte told the Boston Herald through the team that the latest issue with Garnett's knee is not related to the problems that led to Garnett's offseason surgery.
Both Garnett and Rondo participated in Wednesday morning's shootaround, the team said, but Davis did not. Rivers told Comcast that Rondo was more likely to play than Garnett.
Rondo has been battling the sore hamstring for the past few games. Davis suffered the ankle sprain in Monday's loss.
Pierce underwent an arthroscopic procedure to drain fluid from his right knee last Wednesday. It was originally thought he might miss two weeks, but Rivers later said he could return sooner.
The Celtics also recalled guard Lester Hudson from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League Wednesday. Hudson had been reassigned there on Dec. 26 and has appeared in five games with the Red Claws.
Suns are completely healthy, have had two days' rest, and are at home against a banged-up Celtics squad without Garnett, Pierce, Davis, and possibly Rondo. No excuses.
Celtics could be shorthanded vs. Suns
Losers of two straight games, the Boston Celtics could be without Kevin Garnett (sore right knee) for Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns, and perhaps longer.
The Celtics already will be shorthanded against the Suns. They will be without Glen Davis (mild right ankle sprain) and Paul Pierce (right knee) and could also be missing Rajon Rondo, who is questionable with a sore left hamstring.
The Celtics ruled out Davis earlier Wednesday and deemed Garnett a game-time decision.
"If I do decide to sit [Garnett], I'm not sitting him for one game. I can tell you that," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told Comcast Sportsnet. "I told Kevin that."
Rivers told Comcast that if he decided to sit Garnett, he would probably keep him out two games until about Jan. 6, when the Celtics face the Heat, or longer. He said he wasn't sure if that was the direction he was going to take with Garnett but that he was "leaning that way heavily."
"It's early in the season," Rivers told Comcast. "We got tonight and we got two days, and then we got three days after that. To me, if you're going to rest guys, this is the perfect time to do it."
Garnett was accidentally kicked in the knee -- the same one that was surgically repaired in the offseason -- in Monday's loss to the Golden State Warriors. Celtics trainer Ed Lacerte told the Boston Herald through the team that the latest issue with Garnett's knee is not related to the problems that led to Garnett's offseason surgery.
Both Garnett and Rondo participated in Wednesday morning's shootaround, the team said, but Davis did not. Rivers told Comcast that Rondo was more likely to play than Garnett.
Rondo has been battling the sore hamstring for the past few games. Davis suffered the ankle sprain in Monday's loss.
Pierce underwent an arthroscopic procedure to drain fluid from his right knee last Wednesday. It was originally thought he might miss two weeks, but Rivers later said he could return sooner.
The Celtics also recalled guard Lester Hudson from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA Development League Wednesday. Hudson had been reassigned there on Dec. 26 and has appeared in five games with the Red Claws.
Suns are completely healthy, have had two days' rest, and are at home against a banged-up Celtics squad without Garnett, Pierce, Davis, and possibly Rondo. No excuses.