What the team needs is a defensive presence in the middle. Those 5 minutes that Shaq played the other night the team looked great. Shaq looked great. I kind of think that Shaq got a cramp in his leg and not a strain. The Celtics saw what they needed to see in those 5 or 6 minutes and shut him down using the cramp/strain as an excuse. They want him fresh just like he was to start the season.
If Shaq comes back, and the team wins, the Perk trade doesn't look quite as bad. But, lost in the talk about struggles is that it wasn't just Perk that was traded. It was 1/3 of the team. Since the trade, the Celtics have had very few practices and so they are working in 5 new players on the fly. That is difficult and so the whole team is struggling. Getting those 3 or so days off between the end of the season and the playoffs will do this team almost as much good as getting Shaq back.