Good News on the Shaq Front

Shaq says he hopes to be back within a week and could be playing now if it were playoff time.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2011/03/shaq_says_he_re.html

I don't care so much about the precise timing and have learned not to count on such things. But his comment does suggest that there's light at the end of the tunnel. It also supports my theory that the Celtics are being super conservative with him.

Sam

Sam I think it is a good move to not rush Shaq back.

It gives the Celtics more time to intergate Kristc into their schemes and baby should return shortly so the center spot will be maned adequately until Shaq is ready to return.

dboss

Sam,

ive sort of took to wondering about just how conservative the Celtics are being. Early on I think the Celtics came to the realization that without either O'Neil having to be in the game they could win. The O'neils have played 36 and 17 games respectivey, sure when they get back to playing there will be some rust, but not so much that the gears no longer are moving.

As Shaq stated already, if it was playoff time he'd be playing, your theory holds water, and i'm wondering to what extent the same has been true of the other O'Neil as well, is Boston simply holding back purposely two guys they feel are the most fragile- yet based on last yrs finals quite important peices untill the absolute last moment- giving them enuff time to shake off the rust before a long playoff run?

It seems that the playoffs will begin likely on the weekend of april 16th and 17, before that on the 7th we play the Bulls in chi town, the 8th washington, the 10th Miami and by then likely our place as top seed could be secured. the 11th Washington once again, then the 13th new york.

The Celtics could have homecourt in the east wrapped up by the 7th quite easily 21 games remain- 12 against non playoffteams- getting homecourt over the Spurs might be out of reach. At the same time, Washington will simply be waiting for the misery to end and thankfull a season went by without guns being brought to the lockerroom and wondering who else they can get in the draft to go along with Wall.. New york and Miami could well still be battlin for their playoff spots..

The sooner we get Homecourt secured I think we might end up seeing the Firm of Rondo, Peirce, Allen and Garnett getting a lot of rest, The Brothers O'Neil being fully intergated into the system to get the rust shaken off and other guys seeing their roles greatly increased.

With Indiana (in which case i'm going to a game or two) or Charlote the likely first round opponet the C's could still afford to be allowing the O'Neils to get rid of the rust.

Its all conjecture of course, but your super conservative theory i think lends itself to seeing all the O'neils begin playing limited time leading up to the playoffs and maybe the last few games- especialy if we can wrap up homecourt early and extend into the first round. Round two I think is when we at last begin to see the Oneils playing meaningfull minutes in important games..

just my 1/2 a cents worth of opionion of course

It's all about the matchups come playoff time.