Celtics Health Watch: 'Everybody's Good'
BOSTON (CBS) – These days, it's almost as if the Boston Celtics are filling out Bill Belichick-like injury reports.
The only difference is the Celtics actually answer questions about their numerous ailments. The Patriots, well, everyone knows their take when it comes to injuries.
The Celtics will once again be dealing with their slew of injuries as they take the floor for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference Semis against the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
As for which of the C's walking wounded will play, that answer remains the same.
"Everybody's good," head coach Doc Rivers said Wednesday morning's shootaround. "We basically took the day off (on Tuesday). We watched a little film and met. Other than that we didn't do anything on the floor."
Read: Celtics-76ers Game 3 Preview
Every member of the Celtics hit the practice floor Wednesday morning, not an uncommon occurrence so far this postseason.
But some of the Celtics are getting a little more tired with the questions than others.
"You're on your health watch?" guard Ray Allen joked when asked about his ailing ankle.
Allen -- who led the Celtics with 17 points off the bench in their Game 2 loss -- has had to change a few things up with his normal routine, but as long as it means he is ready to go Wednesday night, that is all that matters.
"I try not to think about it. Like last night, I got in the hotel and I went down to the health club and I was so tempted to get on the treadmill. But I just said, 'Don't do it. Just leave it alone,'" Allen recalled Wednesday. "I put myself in a good position to be ready for tonight, that's all I can say. That's what I've been told to do."
In addition to Allen, the Celtics have to worry about guard Avery Bradley's left shoulder, which has popped out of its socket twice this postseason. Bradley has dealt with it, and tries to put the possibility of another dislocation out of his mind when on the floor.
"I try not to think about it and just play. If it pops out, then it pops out," said the second-year guard.
The biggest injury concern for Boston though remains that of Paul Pierce's MCL. The C's captain has been dealing with a sprain in his left knee since Game 4 against Atlanta. Pierce was held to just seven points on two-for-nine shooting in Game 2, and the injury has turned has made his jumper all but non-existent.
Read: Who Steps Up For Hobbled Pierce?
Because of this, Rivers hinted they may have to change their game plan when it comes to Pierce.
"Right now he can't get away from anybody with his legs, so we're going to go to more pin-downs for him and do different things," said Rivers, hinting Pierce could also play a larger role in the paint Wednesday night. "You usually didn't have to get a body off of him, he could shake the body on his own. I think now, we have to use him a lot like Ray, bringing him off screens, and then giving him space."
While it's safe to say Pierce is nowhere near 100-percent healthy, Rivers didn't want to put a number on his star forward.
"You know me, I don't do percentages," Rivers said. " I don't think (Sixers forward Andre) Iguodala cares what percentage he is and that's what counts. When he is on the floor, he's 100-percent; that's how we view it. Whether he is or isn't, really doesn't matter. We just have to go out and play, and figure out, we have to get 100-percent out of him -- of what he has."
And the Sixers are going to approach Pierce as though he is at 100-percent.
"He's not fast, but at the same time he's not slow," said Iguodala, who added they need to keep Pierce off the free throw line.
"We have to make him work on every possession," said 76ers coach Doug Collins. "We have to make it hard for him to get shots, hard for him to give the ball up, and keep him off that foul line."
