MASS GENERAL UPDATE - KRSTIC OUT SHAQ DUE BACK SUNDAY

KRSTIC LEAVES WITH RIGHT KNEE INJURY

On a second-quarter fast break against the Spurs, Celtics center Nenad Krstic's leg bent in the wrong direction, and he left the game clutching his right knee. He will not return to action.

The Celtics simply called it a "right knee injury" as trainers elevated Krstic's leg. However, C's coach Doc Rivers told TNT sideline reporter David Aldridge, "We don't know for sure, but it does not look good."

Krstic injured his left ACL during the 2006 season. Meanwhile, Jermaine O'Neal returned after missing 56 games with a knee injury of his own, and Celtics president Danny Ainge told The Big Show that Shaquille O'Neal could return to the lineup as soon as Sunday or Tuesday.


Update: After the game, Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that center Nenad Krstic will return to Boston where he will undergo an MRI on his right knee on Saturday according to NESN.com. Krstic will miss this weekend's game: the Celtics play the Atlanta Hawks on Friday and the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.

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Krstic leaves with knee injury

Nenad Krstic left the game late in the 2nd quarter with a right knee injury. There was no contact on the play... his right knee just buckled as he was running down the court on the fast break.

He's done for the night. TNT's David Aldridge quoted Doc as saying they're not sure what it is, but "it doesn't look good."

Injuries where there is no contact and a knee buckles almost never end well. I don't want to speculate too much... but everyone knows that knee injuries with no contact are not good.


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DON'T UNDERSTAND THE HEAD FAKES AT THIS POINT IN TIME...I CAN UNDERSTAND PLAYOFFS...BUT TO CLOAK SHAQ'S RETURN IN MYSTERY.........JUST READ THIS AND COMPARE ABOVE

Shaq may not return until playoffs

Mar 31, 2011

By A. Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com

SAN ANTONIO — The Boston Celtics are starting to get worried that Shaquille O'Neal's sabbatical from the game to deal with an assortment of right foot/leg/Achilles tendon continues to take longer than expected.

While the goal is to have him suit up before the playoffs, Celtics coach Doc Rivers acknowledged on Thursday that the team has no definitive idea as to when the 7-foot-1 center will be back.

"I really hope we can get him before the playoffs," said Rivers, who added that the injury is starting to "get close to bleeding" into the team's postseason plans.

While the C's maintain there hasn't been any setback, they do say it has taken longer to heal than anticipated. (Isn't that a setback?)

There will certainly be an adjustment period when he does return, whenever that may be.

Still, there are certain positives that O'Neal brings to the floor that trump whatever adjustments he needs to make in terms of Xs and Os.

"The good thing with him is that he's still big and strong," Rivers said. "But [not playing until the playoffs] would be difficult."

And because of O'Neal's role with the team, the C's aren't banking on him to be a dominate presence for extended periods of time.

"The thing is, it's not like he's a focal point offensively," Rivers said. "Defensively, he does what he does. His size is a factor. But you still have to know all the sets offensively and defensively for the other guys to run stuff."

His size. His strength.

Rivers has a good handle on those things.

But it is the unknown - when will O'Neal return - that he admits presents yet another hurdle for the Celtics moving forward.

"I just don't know because I've never had this situation," Rivers said. "It's getting to become a challenge. It wasn't before, because I just viewed it as a regular-season injury. Now it's starting to get close to bleeding into playoffs. Now that becomes a challenge."

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