Jared Sullinger to miss rest of the season.

Why have we turned a corner? Is it Rondo's absence or Sully's, or a combination of the two? I'd argue that it's neither, that the Celtics are responding to opportunities to play and lead, and that Doc's job just got far easier because he doesn't have so many difficult lineup choices to make. Bass gets his job back, Green splits the 3 with Pierce, KG man's the center, we have three or four good guards to divvy up Rondo's considerable minutes. We'd be more formidable with Rondo and Sully and a healthy Wilcox, but all we need now is for Melo to learn quickly or to acquire another big man and we're going to be tough. Before settling for Martin or someone of that caliber, I hope Melo gets meaningful, mid-game minutes, something like Steamer last year. I know he faces a steep learning curve, but another upside to losing two starters is that no one can be blamed for experimenting. The loss of the league's assists leader and a prominent rookie starter would kill most team's chances, but Ainge built such a juggernaut that we're still very interesting. Go Celtics!

International, I don't profess to know what the ideal chemistry is. I don't believe there is one ideal. I guess there's an ideal for every different team. Right now, I believe there are some very good signs about the direction of the chemistry of the current squad, and I frankly like it much better than what we were seeing just a few games ago. However, I'm sure there's also loads of room for improvement.

Sam

Hawksnestbeach

I agree, guys that were getting short minutes are now getting long Minutes.

They are depending on themselves to make things happen.

No one could predict that Rondo would go down but Sully is another story. I sure Hope that his surgery fixed the problem but everyone that I know who has had back surgery is still having issues.

I do question the decision to draft Jared given the his well documented pre draft medical red flag that was raised. I read a lot of sound bites from Danny about how valuable draft picks are so I am not sure about the decision to potentially waste a pick on a over weight player with a bad back..

Look at Houston dboss.....Royce White. That was well documented too. This kid may never play in the NBA> I'll take my chances with Sully and hope that surgery and a good conditioning coach will help him regain strength and mobility in his back, he is so young to just write off as a mistake. A half of year of excitement, something to look forward to in the future? I'll take it.

If this is the way you are looking at it, I suppose you are against them going for Oden??

Rosalie

Dboss,

How many kids Sully's age do you know that has had back surgery? I am one of those guys with the ongoing problems since surgery as well. I was 54 with mine. A lot more problems like DDD, arthritis, etc on older people. The main thing Sully has going for him is his age. I think Sully we be a lot better long term now.

Tardust,

Actually, I think that one of the main things Sully has going for him is rapidly advancing medical technology.

For several years, I had severe spinal stenosis, which is a condition in which growing calcium deposits strangle the bundle of nerves that are threaded through the holes in the spinal vertebrae. On an MRI, you could clearly see the point at which the passageway through one vertebra narrowed so that it was virtually closed.

Whenever I over-exerted myself, the nerves would signal my back muscles that they were strangling, and the two main muscles running vertically down my back would signal me to stop my exertion by becoming cement hard.

I had surgery that took only an hour. The name of the procedure was (believe it or not) laminoforaminoplasty. The operation took less time than it took to say the name.

I was awake the whole time. They made a half-inch incision and threaded a tiny incision through the incision. In the sac was a drill and a little vacuum cleaner. They used the sac to push aside the nerves so they wouldn't be affected. Then they drilled a hole in the affected area of the spine, broke up the calcium deposits with the drill, and vacuumed all the loose calcium, extracted the sack and tools, and left me with only a single band-aid.

I immediately felt relief; and in mid-afternoon of the same day, I danced a jig in my motel room—because I could.

I'm not at all trying to equate my situation with that of Jared. I'm sure his was more serious and complex. And the demands he puts on his back are obviously far more traumatic than mine. But just five years earlier, the technology didn't exist to address my problem so quickly and completely. And I'm willing to bet the same thing was true in Jared's case.

Now I once again have back problems, but this time it's arthritis, not stenosis. My form of arthritis is pretty much thought of as an incurable bitch (although not as problematic as stenosis), but I wouldn't be shocked if a cure is found in my lifetime.

Moreover, in Sully's case, money will be no object, whereas I had to pay $5,000 (with Medicare funding the other $20,000).

So I believe there is every rationale for hoping Sully will be better than ever next season and thereafter. It's not a slam dunk, but that's not Sully's game anyway.

Sam

Sam,
Without going into a lot of detail, I had pretty much the same thing as Sully is having. My results are not near what I was expecting. I had the little clamp put in with the 4 screws. Also had the fusion.

Also have the usual bone spurs, arthritis, etc. Of course as we get older everyone has some of this stuff, just some more extreme than others. I had mine done at the Texas Back Institute which is considered by many as one of the very best back facilities around.

The term min evasive if kind of misleading to me. I was cut open in the front and the back. I sure hope Sully has better results than I have.

I have read a ton on the internet and it pretty obvious everyone reacts differently to this. Like I said earlier, age is the best thing going for him. IMO. Hopefully he will lose a little weight.

Its been 2 years for me and I recently went on STD after knee surgery effected the way I was walking and really sent my back into a tailspin. Been off work for 2 months now. I have to make a decision pretty quick about whether I want to try one of these "stimulaters" that people are using now. I hate the idea of putting another object in my back. It may be the only thing left from what I have been told. That or continue with narcotics, which I don't want either. (talk about one mixed up mind)

Anyway I have rattled enough.

technological advances give Hope that Sully may recover and be able to contribute. I love the way this kid plays. But those feelings do not sway me from what I believe is a legitimate concern over Danny's decision to draft him. It was a risk to do so and now that risk has turned into a loss.

At this point in time we do not know if the loss is short, midterm or permanent. Thus, this uncertainty is not perceived but a reality that Celtics fan will ponder.


Dboss

Tardust,

Wow, you've had much more than your share of back challenges (to say nothing about the knee). I know my experiences was much less extreme, and I was just about age 70 when I had the procedure. My main point was the availability of medical technology that is increasing all the time. (Although it's obviously not a panacea, as your continuing back distress would attest.)

Good luck, and I admire you for not quitting on yourself and continuing to address the challenge with measures such as stimulators.

Sam

Sam,
experienced at them all, throw in open heart surgery at age 48. Of all of the surgeries I have experience with the easiest to come back from was open heart. Sounds kind of funny doesn't it.

Tardust,

Actually, it sounds rather comforting as, after seven relatively easy angioplasties, I'll have to have a valve replacement in the not-too-distant future. Thanks for the good news.

Sam

Sam,
If you makes you feel any better my wife told me right before I went into the operating room for that it was not a big deal. She said they do this every day now, no problem. I looked up at her and said, yea its not a big deal when its not happening to you! After the chest area heals, you pretty much don't think about it any more. I was playing golf after 6 months and won our club championship 9 months post op.