Pierce out for Cavs AND possibly Daniels?

Pierce out for the Cavs and now Quis was sent home from practice today with an "unspecified illness." Yikes. From Yahoo Sports:


Celtics’ Pierce to miss Cavs game with hurt thumb

32 minutes ago

WALTHAM, Mass. (AP)—Celtics coach Doc Rivers says leading scorer Paul Pierce will not play when Boston takes on LeBron James(notes) and the NBA-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday night.

Rivers held Pierce was out of practice on Wednesday to protect the star forward’s injured right thumb.

Asked if he was concerned that Pierce’s thumb was anything more than a sprain, Rivers said that was unlikely.

Also missing practice on Wednesday was Marquis Daniels, who was sent home because of an unspecified illness.

Updated info. Seems Daniels has the flu but is still a possibility for tomorrow. From the Globe Celtic blog:

The Celtics' first choices to defend Cleveland's LeBron James in Thursday's game are Marquis Daniels and Paul Pierce. And both Daniels and Pierce missed practice Wednesday with flu symptoms.

Daniels could be available for the game but Pierce, who also has a sprained thumb, is likely out. Completely joking, Rivers said he'd go out and guard James -- if the league still allowed hand checks. Half-joking, Rivers said he'd sic Rondo on him. And throwing out all possibilities, Rivers said he might match the other piece of the Nate Robinson deal, Marcus Landry, up with James.

Landry, a 6-foot-7-inch, 230-pounder who played center at Wisconsin, sounded ready to run through walls for Rivers and seemed equally eager about the possibility of guarding James, saying:

"LeBron is a great, great player. I've been watching his game, and as they were doing things out here [in practice], I noticed spots that he likes to go to. He's a great player and it would definitely be a good challenge to me ... He's a great player, you're not going to keep him from scoring, but you can most definitely make it hard for him."