Shaq out for Game 2

[the_Bird]

Medical staff has to be feeling the heat.

the medical staff did pretty well with JO

Was that the medical staff, or was that JO working out with Tim Grover in Chicago?  Wasn't Wojo writing about that recently?

I'm not going to BLAME the medical staff for these injuries, or how long they're taking to heal.  These guys are old, and were known to have problems even before they were signed.  Just wonder if they underestimated how tough it would be for Shaq's Achilles to heal.

[vinnie]

Medical staff has to be feeling the heat.

the medical staff did pretty well with JO

Was that the medical staff, or was that JO working out with Tim Grover in Chicago?  Wasn't Wojo writing about that recently?

I'm not going to BLAME the medical staff for these injuries.  These guys are old, and were known to have problems even before they were signed.  Just wonder if they underestimated how tough it would be for Shaq's Achilles to heal.

And is that the same medical staff that went along with JO when they 100 percent supported the idea that if he just rested for another month or so and did strenuous exercise that he would return without any limitations? Of course, we all know that three weeks later they announced his surgery.

[GreenEnvy]

Medical staff has to be feeling the heat.

the medical staff did pretty well with JO

Did they?

If I remember correctly, they flubbed it the first time (from the beginning of the season til his return and subsequent absence for the same knee). After the swelling and pain returned, he got multiple opinions on it (I think from a Miami doctor he was familiar with and another place in addition to Boston) before he ultimately defided to have the surgery.


I can't say they mishandled Shaq per se, but they know the Achilles needs time and they probably let him come back too soon without enough practice, and he overcompensated and hurt the calf too.

If he hurt it a week or two later, that's one thing, but he hurt it minutes into his first game back. It's obvious he wasn't ready.

I was fully confident he would return soon, but now nobody knows (that's saying anything).

[GreenFaith1819]

Just get well, Big Fella. You'll be welcomed back when you're ready. Time to circle the wagons and go with what we have.

I hope Murph is ready - just in case.

And just because he's out for game 2 or beyond - doesn't mean he's out for good. It's a long way from now to June.

As long as our Four All-Stars are healthy (and they look to be), then we are still contenders in my book. Shaq is just the cherry on top, and right now JO is playing quite nicely.

[Lucky17]

Medical staff has to be feeling the heat.

Perhaps they're just not feeling bullish on his imminent return. We know the staff has been watching him like a hawk these last few weeks.

It's not like they can work some kind of magic spell, and have him ready in the nick of time.

These kinds of injuries heal at their own pace.

Come on, this gets nothing from the peanut gallery? I spent a whole 5 minutes on this.

[the_Bird]

I can't say they mishandled Shaq per se, but they know the Achilles needs time and they probably let him come back too soon without enough practice, and he overcompensated and hurt the calf too.

If he hurt it a week or two later, that's one thing, but he hurt it minutes into his first game back. It's obvious he wasn't ready.

I was fully confident he would return soon, but now nobody knows (that's saying anything).

I think in the end (and this is just my opinion) they underestimated the effect of Shaq nearly being a member of the 40/400 club would have on his recover.  Figure...  "Oh, Achilles' injury, that's take four to six weeks to heal," without fully reflecting the facts that Shaq:

1. Is going on 40 years old
2. Has GOT to be pushing four bills on the scale

He's big and old, it's going to take a while for him to be right, and it sure seems to me that they weren't properly accounting for those two facts.

[GreenEnvy]

Just get well, Big Fella. You'll be welcomed back when you're ready. Time to circle the wagons and go with what we have.

I hope Murph is ready - just in case.

And just because he's out for game 2 or beyond - doesn't mean he's out for good. It's a long way from now to June.

As long as our Four All-Stars are healthy (and they look to be), then we are still contenders in my book. Shaq is just the cherry on top, and right now JO is playing quite nicely.

We don't currently have 4 All-Stars. We have the Big Three and the player formerly known as an All-Star, Rondo.

Without Shaq, we need Rondo to be a defensive monster while racking up assists with precision and vision, AND hit some jumpers. His rebounding is always welcomed.

Right now he isn't the same player that dominated the playoffs last season or was setting assist records earlier this year.

[GreenFaith1819]

Just get well, Big Fella. You'll be welcomed back when you're ready. Time to circle the wagons and go with what we have.

I hope Murph is ready - just in case.

And just because he's out for game 2 or beyond - doesn't mean he's out for good. It's a long way from now to June.

As long as our Four All-Stars are healthy (and they look to be), then we are still contenders in my book. Shaq is just the cherry on top, and right now JO is playing quite nicely.

We don't currently have 4 All-Stars. We have the Big Three and the player formerly known as an All-Star, Rondo.

Without Shaq, we need Rondo to be a defensive monster while racking up assists with precision and vision, AND hit some jumpers. His rebounding is always welcomed.

Right now he isn't the same player that dominated the playoffs last season or was setting assist records earlier this year.

You are correct - Rajon Rondo does not seem to be the same Rajon as last year's playoffs.

But it is still early.

But he did earn that All-Star spot, and the playoffs are still early. I still expect great things out of him.

And even with his errant passes from last night? He almost had a triple double.

When was the last time Rose had a triple double - in the flow of a game?

[Chief]

Rondo looked much better in th 2nd half. Almost had a triple double for the game. That looks like the old Rondo to me.


As far as our medical staff/conditioning coach, I'm not sure. Big AL, Perk, Delonte, Tony, Garnett, JO, Shaq... always seems to be hurt in Boston. Maybe it's just bad luck. But when they are on other teams, I never notice them being out.

[StartOrien]

Medical staff has to be feeling the heat.

the medical staff did pretty well with JO

Was that the medical staff, or was that JO working out with Tim Grover in Chicago?  Wasn't Wojo writing about that recently?

I'm not going to BLAME the medical staff for these injuries, or how long they're taking to heal.  These guys are old, and were known to have problems even before they were signed.  Just wonder if they underestimated how tough it would be for Shaq's Achilles to heal.

To be clear, I know nothing about medical science. Last week I was feeling sick, ate 3 times the reccomended amount of gummy vitamins and couldn't figure out why I couldn't sleep that night.

But it does seem like all our injury prone players keep getting injured, their return dates are constantly pushed back, and we've seen a lot of players return and almost immediately have setbacks. I don't know if the medical staff is to blame, but it obviously isn't a great reflection on them.

To me its shocking that they haven't gotten more heat.

[birdwatcher]

Why try to play Shaq if we don't need him this series? I feel pretty confident that we can/will win without him. I don't feel we really need him against Miami, either. Chicago would be the time to bring him in, and again in the finals if we played LA or Dallas. But that's not to say it would be nice to have the option to use him...

[StartOrien]

Why try to play Shaq if we don't need him this series? I feel pretty confident that we can/will win without him. I don't feel we really need him against Miami, either. Chicago would be the time to bring him in, and again in the finals if we played LA or Dallas. But that's not to say it would be nice to have the option to use him...

Same reason they tried to play him in Detroit. They want to know what they have in him.

[birdwatcher]

Why try to play Shaq if we don't need him this series? I feel pretty confident that we can/will win without him. I don't feel we really need him against Miami, either. Chicago would be the time to bring him in, and again in the finals if we played LA or Dallas. But that's not to say it would be nice to have the option to use him...

Same reason they tried to play him in Detroit. They want to know what they have in him.

They know what they have in him, so why not let him heal up?

[the_Bird]

Why try to play Shaq if we don't need him this series? I feel pretty confident that we can/will win without him. I don't feel we really need him against Miami, either. Chicago would be the time to bring him in, and again in the finals if we played LA or Dallas. But that's not to say it would be nice to have the option to use him...

Same reason they tried to play him in Detroit. They want to know what they have in him.

They know what they have in him, so why not let him heal up?

I think I said it elsewhere, but if playing Shaq means that the series is finished in five games instead of six or seven, that's got to have a huge benefit for Paul and Ray and KG and JO. 

[StartOrien]

Why try to play Shaq if we don't need him this series? I feel pretty confident that we can/will win without him. I don't feel we really need him against Miami, either. Chicago would be the time to bring him in, and again in the finals if we played LA or Dallas. But that's not to say it would be nice to have the option to use him...

Same reason they tried to play him in Detroit. They want to know what they have in him.

They know what they have in him, so why not let him heal up?

I'm saying considering his injuries. I'm sure they'd rather gameplan for the Heat knowing what minutes wise they can expect out of him.