Tanguay just reported Shaq won't return until Playoffs

[Prof. Clutch]

Just said so on CSN pre game.

[CaliCeltics]

Did he mean the 2012 playoffs? It feels like it.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

If that's true it must have been a setback or them being extra cautious because Doc just said yesterday that he will play Sunday.

[manbehindtheman]

If that's true it must have been a setback or them being extra cautious because Doc just said yesterday that he will play Sunday.

not really...no setback, they likely knew right away...now lets see WHEN in the playoffs he comes back... if at all.

[Prof. Clutch]

There's no official link to it yet, but that's what Tanguay opened the show with.  There is this from Forsberg:

Rivers said everyone else -- save for Shaquille O'Neal, who Rivers had no update on, but seemed to hint was unlikely to play Sunday vs. Miami -- was available Friday night. Boston's helmsman hasn't decided how -- or if -- he'll rest his other veterans as the postseason nears

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/

[Prof. Clutch]

Doc's interview with Gorman just now when asked "Shaq may be out till the playoffs?" he replied, "that may be true."  So perhaps we will see him before the season's end.  The lesson here, never listen to Tanguay's gut. 

[j804]

We know if we don't have a healthy Shaq for the playoffs to make his presence down low, open it up for everybody, give 6 hard fouls we aren't going anywhere.

[thirstyboots18]

We know if we don't have a healthy Shaq for the playoffs to make his presence down low, open it up for everybody, give 6 hard fouls we aren't going anywhere.

J804...That may or may not be true, but YOU are the only one who knows it.   Are you sure?  Clairvoyant?

[Chris]

This was reported before the Bulls game as well.  Doc said that he was not going to play Shaq until he gets in at least one practice, and since they are not planning on having any more practices until after the last game, the playoffs are the target.

[PosImpos]

Not really a shock . . . my guess is he can't be back by Sunday, and that's the only remaining game that really matters.  Therefore, they've chosen to rest him until the playoffs start. 

I guess the first round will be the time for the Celtics to get their stuff together.

[Kane3387]

Eerily similar to KG in 2009

[PosImpos]

Eerily similar to KG in 2009

Eh . . . not really, no.

KG tried coming back for a game and then went back out again, yes.  But he didn't look good at all in that short stretch of play, and he went back out again because of the same injury that put him out in the first place.

In this case, Shaq went out with one injury, finally came back from that one, and then got a different, unrelated, much less severe injury.  He also looked great in the short time that he played.

The Celtics have also been fairly upfront with the nature of Shaq's injuries. 

[Mike-Dub]

This was reported before the Bulls game as well.  Doc said that he was not going to play Shaq until he gets in at least one practice, and since they are not planning on having any more practices until after the last game, the playoffs are the target.

Not true... They're were saying during the Bulls game that Doc was going to get a practice going with the bench warmers and assistant coaches Armond Hill and Tyronne Lue and have Shaq play with them before he could get a game in, but that is not the case now.

[vinnie]

Deja vu all over again. Shaq was going to miss 2-3 games with  his last injury and was out more than two months.

[vinnie]

This was reported before the Bulls game as well.  Doc said that he was not going to play Shaq until he gets in at least one practice, and since they are not planning on having any more practices until after the last game, the playoffs are the target.

Not true... They're were saying during the Bulls game that Doc was going to get a practice going with the bench warmers and assistant coaches Armond Hill and Tyronne Lue and have Shaq play with them before he could get a game in, but that is not the case now.

This is 100 percent correct.