Rivers Pokes Fun At Lakers Fans After Pierce Sprains Ankle Vs. Celtics
BOSTON (CBS) -- Paul Pierce falling to the floor and grabbing his right knee is a sight Celtics fans hate to see, even if the forward is now a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.
But some Deja vu played out on Monday night, as Pierce hit the floor in the second quarter of L.A.'s 114-90 win over the Celtics after he fell awkwardly on a drive to the hoop, grabbing his right knee before limping his way off the court.
But it appears Pierce escaped any serious injury, suffering a sprained ankle and a bruise on his kneecap. While he's expected to miss some time as the regular season comes to a close, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers couldn't help but joke after the victory.
"It's his ankle, which is the good news because when he went down, I thought it was his knee,"Rivers said. "Of course, the Laker fans, they were going to bring out a wheelchair at some point. They didn't do that so that was good. He's going to be out for a little bit. We don't know how long. It's one of those things."
C's -- and Lakers fans -- will remember Game 1 of the 2008 NBA Finals, when Pierce hit the floor in similar fashion in the third quarter after teammate Kendrick Perkins came down on his right leg. Pierce clutched his right knee and was wheeled off the floor, only to make a Willis Reed-like return later in the game.
He ended up scoring 11 of his 22 points after his return, and would go on to win MVP of the Finals as the Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games.
Now, eight years later, Rivers is breathing another sigh of relief after learning his savvy veteran forward should be back for the postseason.
