Now What - Now Nate Is Hurting

Dec 2, 2010

Injuries pile up for Celts


BOSTON — If there's one thing the Boston Celtics learned last season, it's that there's no such thing as having too much depth.

But the C's certainly didn't plan on having that theory tested to this extent.

Just as the victories continue to pile up for the Celtics, so do the injuries.

In Boston's 99-95 win over Portland, Nate Robinson played just three minutes due to soreness in his left foot.

"It's been bothering me since the Atlanta game [on Nov. 22]," Robinson said. "I've been trying to pull through it. I'm in a little bit of pain, but I'll be all right."

Still, that pain was severe enough on Wednesday to where Robinson couldn't come in to spell Rajon Rondo, who is battling his share of injuries as well.

Coach Doc Rivers had little choice but to play Rondo extended minutes against the Blazers.

"I left Rondo in because Nate's foot was hurting," said Rivers, who added that Rondo's hamstring started to get sore. "He [Rondo] was worried that if he came out, he couldn't return. So the injury thing is really starting to creep up on us. It is what it is."

The Celtics are already going to be without Delonte West for several weeks after he suffered a broken wrist against New Jersey on Nov. 24. In addition to West, Boston centers Kendrick Perkins (right MCL) and Jermaine O'Neal (right knee) remain out with injuries. Rivers said there's no timetable for O'Neal to return, although it won't be anytime this week. As for Perkins, February looks to be the earliest Perkins will be on the floor.

Although rookie center Semih Erden continues to play off the C's bench, Erden told CSNNE.com that has a shoulder injury will require surgery during the offseason.

All of the Celtics injuries are of great concern, but no one's health is of a greater priority right now than that of Rondo.

In addition to the hamstring injury, Rondo is also nursing a plantar fasciitis injury that he said earlier will likely give him problems for the remainder of the season.

Rondo seems to find a way to play with the plantar injury.

The hamstring soreness, however, is another matter entirely.

By playing with the sore hamstring, Rondo runs the risk of doing further damage that would not only prove potentially disastrous to him, but to the Celtics in their quest to win Banner 18.

"I don't look at it as being disastrous," Rondo said. "If it happens, it happens. If I play [and] I get hurt, it's part of the game. I just can't continue to sit out."

If he's not too careful with his injuries, the 6-foot-1 guard might not have much of a choice.

A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at sblakely@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sherrod on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sherrodbcsn

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