Shaq Update??

[Tai]

Actually, Sports Sunday is on right now at CSN, but I'm not sure if he was asked at the very end of the show or not. If he wasn't, just wait it to show again at 12:30 (yea in 4 min lol) and he might come up again.

[Tai]

Erm...and IF it wasn't Sports Sunday, it COULD have been SportsNet Central it was said, which airs 1-1:30 and 1:30-2.

Please let me note for the umpteenth time that Dickerson said Shaq MIGHT come back on Friday...as far as I'm concerned, I'm in the camp that says "I'll believe it when I see it".

[Tai]

Yep, Dickerson said it on Sports Sunday just now that he thinks Shaq will be back on Friday. Take it or leave it. (I've already said I'll believe it when I see it).

[winsomme]

Globe story today says Shaq's status has quietly gone from "when" to "if" he returns. Maybe the Globe is making this up, but given that he has missed almost two months and 18 games with an injury that was supposed to keep him out 2 or 3 games, who knows? I will believe Shaq will be back when I actually see him on the court.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/articles/2011/03/18/celtics_piece_it_together/

I'm starting to think that Shaq doesn't return this season and might have played his last NBA game on February 1. This seems a lot like the KG injury in 2009. First it's a couple of games, then a couple of weeks, and then indefinite. Garnett supposedly would have played, had we passed Orlando in the ECSF. Same here with Shaq.

I really think that KG injury is what has made everyone so paranoid about this stuff.  And I have to agree that this is looking way too similar to that situation.

However, the difference for me is that I think Shaq will play through it...while I think KG was so rattled by the injury (he had not really dealt with an injury like that before), he was afraid to try to play through it.  The fact that Danny called him out after the playoffs, and said that it was KG's choice was telling.

Shaq on the other hand has a history of having injuries (or just cruising) through the regular season, and then turning it on, and ignoring the pain once the postseason starts.  

This has always been a "pain" injury.  The issue isn't that he will hurt himself more, or he simply can't play, the issue is that he still has pain when he runs.  Those are the kind that get played through when the games start to matter.  

Given that this is a "play through it" kind of injury, the Perk trade shouldn't have been made for that fact alone.

I just don't understand any assertions from Danny that having  the O'Neals gave him any security in the "losing a big" aspect of deciding to make the trade.

Well, I just don't think the Perk trade is that directly related to the Oneal injuries, since I think even with Perkins, they were still going to need at least one of the Oneals healthy in the playoffs to win it all.  Semih Erden (or Troy Murphy) were not going to be enough to supplement Perk against some of the better teams in the league in a 7 game series. 

I tend to agree. although I think we could make it to the Finals with Perk and no ONeals...

but no Perk and no ONeals could have us losing well before then...

For whatever reason, Danny just trusted these guys would be back. That's really the only way the trade makes any sense at all.

[RebusRankin]

Shaq will play in Minny on Sunday because he knows I want to see the big 5.

[Bankshot]

Shaq needs to get his butt back on the court!

[CelticSooner]

Now saying they hope to have him back April 3rd. 

It would be nice to get the guy some games in to shake off the rust and get back into rhythm. Team needs to be set by the playoffs not still tinkering with things.

http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/celtics/extras/celtics_blog/2011/03/rivers_shaq_hop.html?comments=all#readerComm

[barefacedmonk]

Now saying they hope to have him back April 3rd. 

Actually, it's April 5th now.

Link

[Eja117]

Were they specific as to what year?  I mean April 3 2011? 2012? 2013? 2014? When exactly? What April 3? Did this come from Danny Ainge's desk? Cause he never lies about these things

[Megatron]

That must be a serious achilles injury if its kept him out for 3 months.

Shouldnt something that keeps you unable to play for that long require surgery?

[butterbeanlove]

The Shaq update (like the JO update, and the KG update two years ago) is ALWAYS...

"about two weeks away"

which is the amount of time they hope everyone will forget about it.

It's useless to even pay attention to it. I certainly haven't been. The beat writers are obligated to ask Doc about it and Doc, for some reason that escapes me, always feels the need to give them a specific answer to an unanswerable question.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, here's some interesting questions asked of Shaq from ESPN just a few hours ago:

Five questions with Celtics center Shaquille O'Neal:

Q: How much do you look forward to the opportunity to go up against guys like Dwight Howard or Andrew Bynum in the playoffs?

A: Excuse me? Don't ask me a question like that.

Q: But that's what people want to know. Those guys are playing so well and everyone wants to see if you can match up with them one-on-one.

A: First of all, they won't dare play me one-on-one, even at the tender age of 39. And you know what? Playin' those teams, it ain't gonna be about the center matchup, so I don't really worry about that.

Q: So there's not more pressure on you now because the Celtics traded Kendrick Perkins away?

A: No. Because I've just got to rebound and play good defense. And I can do that. If I was getting the ball and taking all the shots, it'd be a lot of pressure at 39. But I've just got to rebound and play D.

Q: However you feel health-wise right now, you're convinced that you're going to be healthy enough to be a factor in the playoffs?

A: Yeah. Gotta be.

Q: How much thought have you given to playing beyond this season? Is there a chance that this is the last season for you?

A: I don't know yet. Probably not.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-110325-27/tabuse-making-play-japan

Courtesy of Marc Stein's Weekend Dime. Sounds like Shaq is getting ready for a run to June.

[vinnie]

That must be a serious achilles injury if its kept him out for 3 months.

Shouldnt something that keeps you unable to play for that long require surgery?

It's ONLY 2 months since Shaq has played -- LOL

[Megatron]

That must be a serious achilles injury if its kept him out for 3 months.

Shouldnt something that keeps you unable to play for that long require surgery?

It's ONLY 2 months since Shaq has played -- LOL

However long its going to be, im worried. How is he supposed to get through 4 playoff rounds, 3 of them intense battles that will probably be 6-7 games if he cant even get through practice without his achilles being tweaked.

Dude definately needs surgery or something.

[jimmehx]

That must be a serious achilles injury if its kept him out for 3 months.

Shouldnt something that keeps you unable to play for that long require surgery?

It's ONLY 2 months since Shaq has played -- LOL

However long its going to be, im worried. How is he supposed to get through 4 playoff rounds, 3 of them intense battles that will probably be 6-7 games if he cant even get through practice without his achilles being tweaked.

Dude definately needs surgery or something.

Sounds like he needs to retire. Just not right now.