Shaq will not play in game 2- limping again

[wdleehi]

I want absolutely nothing to do w/ Nenad Krstic getting anymore meaningful minutes this playoff.

At this point, spot minutes will be fine as long as he is next to KG or JO.  (the stronger rebounders)


He can contribute.  Hit a shot.  Hard foul on Wade. 

[droopdog7]

Something I find interesting is that so many now seem to believe that the Celts don't need Shaq to win. That is the coomplete opposite of what people were thinking/saying 2-3 months ago. The guy led them to the best record when he was starting and the guy can put up points quickly in the paint. Yes, JO is back, but he is a totally different kind of player than Shaq. And, he only had 3 rebounds in game 1. Shaq is critical to this team having a shot. No Shaq = no championship.
And remember -- the Celts are 0-2 versus Miami with JO as the starting center, 2-0 with Shaq and 1-0 with Perk.

I don't think they really need him against the Heat. That's just me, intelligent minds can agree to disagree on that.

Like I said before, I don't think Shaq, for example, helps against James Jones being hot for one night. And are we really scared of Big Z and Anthony? Maybe Shaq could bully both of them on the offensive end, no doubt, but as far as the perimeter guys, I think JO has done his part to keep them outta the paint. Wade, for example, made a ton more jumpshots than I expected him to take, as opposed to take it to the hoop. Same for Lebron, who got most of his points in transition due to dumb turnovers.

I think you are both right and wrong.  We may not NEED Shaq to beat the heat, but there is no question in my mind he would help.  Rather than giving someone like Anthony free reign on D, shaq would make him work.  And he wouldn't be able to leave shaq to block shots.

And on D, we may not have to leave shooters as much with shaq in the paint.   

[Chris]

If no Shaq, I wouldn't mind a few minutes of Krstic with the following rule for him:  No free passes to the hoop.  Go out there and drop some physical fouls on the Heat drivers. 

While I think this team needs to drop the whole toughguy act in general, I hope KG pulls Krstic aside and challenges him to get a flagrant foul tonight on either Wade or Lebron.  The regulars need to stay above that stuff and concentrate on executing basketball plays, but Krstic would be the perfect guy to play the goon, and possibly sacrifice himself for one of the superstars on the Heat.

I am not even looking flagrant.  I want clean hard "here I am" fouls.  


Guys like Krstic are the ones to sacrifice.  Even Davis can throw his weight around.  KG and JO need to be more careful.  Good fouls only.

Well, there is a Euro curve on this.  So, you tell him flagrant 2 and you get good, clean, hard fouls.  You need to tell him to hit someone with a chair to get him to actually make a flagrant foul (I think someone told him to shoot someone in the case of the famous chair throwing incident).

[BudweiserCeltic]

Where is the Krstic hate coming from? I think he has been quite decent so far in the playoffs. He's defending and rebounding, what else do you want?

[FatjohnReturns]

I have zero faith in the Celtics medical staff. This sounds like the same story we heard in 08/09 with KG.

Didnt Grant Hill specifically resign with the Suns instead of us this last offseason because of the Suns medical staff http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15899-phoenix-suns-

In 08-09 Shaq played 75 games at 30mpg for the Suns.

[wdleehi]

If no Shaq, I wouldn't mind a few minutes of Krstic with the following rule for him:  No free passes to the hoop.  Go out there and drop some physical fouls on the Heat drivers. 

While I think this team needs to drop the whole toughguy act in general, I hope KG pulls Krstic aside and challenges him to get a flagrant foul tonight on either Wade or Lebron.  The regulars need to stay above that stuff and concentrate on executing basketball plays, but Krstic would be the perfect guy to play the goon, and possibly sacrifice himself for one of the superstars on the Heat.

I am not even looking flagrant.  I want clean hard "here I am" fouls.  


Guys like Krstic are the ones to sacrifice.  Even Davis can throw his weight around.  KG and JO need to be more careful.  Good fouls only.

Well, there is a Euro curve on this.  So, you tell him flagrant 2 and you get good, clean, hard fouls.  You need to tell him to hit someone with a chair to get him to actually make a flagrant foul (I think someone told him to shoot someone in the case of the famous chair throwing incident).

I hate the use of curves.   It just means they are not trying enough. 

[hpantazo]

I have zero faith in the Celtics medical staff. This sounds like the same story we heard in 08/09 with KG.

Didnt Grant Hill specifically resign with the Suns instead of us this last offseason because of the Suns medical staff http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15899-phoenix-suns-

In 08-09 Shaq played 75 games at 30mpg for the Suns.

This is nothing like KG's injury. Shaq almost played in game 1, and he will play in this series. And unlike KG, surgery isn't going to fix anything, and I don't think he has another season left in him. He will go all out when he plays in this series.

[StartOrien]

Where is the Krstic hate coming from? I think he has been quite decent so far in the playoffs. He's defending and rebounding, what else do you want?

Personally, I've never ever wanted him to play a meaningful playoff minute for us.

I don't enjoy his game one bit. He's slow, and on top of that seems to have some pretty serious mental lapses on defense. It seems like he's floating 8-10 feet out, and won't go the block even when he has obvious match ups. If he's not going to capitalize on these match ups. Mentally, I think he's weak and I don't think he's up to the task at hand.

[StartOrien]

I have zero faith in the Celtics medical staff. This sounds like the same story we heard in 08/09 with KG.

Didnt Grant Hill specifically resign with the Suns instead of us this last offseason because of the Suns medical staff http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15899-phoenix-suns-

In 08-09 Shaq played 75 games at 30mpg for the Suns.

This is nothing like KG's injury. Shaq almost played in game 1, and he will play in this series. And unlike KG, surgery isn't going to fix anything, and I don't think he has another season left in him. He will go all out when he plays in this series.

I've been banging the drum on the medical staff for a little. I know it's a touchy subject b/c we'll never know all the facts - nor understand what they mean if we're presented with them - but for the most part this team has constantly been facing injuries and setbacks for the past few years without any real shining success stories.

[hpantazo]

Where is the Krstic hate coming from? I think he has been quite decent so far in the playoffs. He's defending and rebounding, what else do you want?

Personally, I've never ever wanted him to play a meaningful playoff minute for us.

I don't enjoy his game one bit. He's slow, and on top of that seems to have some pretty serious mental lapses on defense. It seems like he's floating 8-10 feet out, and won't go the block even when he has obvious match ups. If he's not going to capitalize on these match ups. Mentally, I think he's weak and I don't think he's up to the task at hand.

It doesn't really even matter. Even if we have Shaq, JO, Kristic, and Perk, Doc would still play Davis and Green more than any of those 4 centers.

[FatjohnReturns]

I have zero faith in the Celtics medical staff. This sounds like the same story we heard in 08/09 with KG.

Didnt Grant Hill specifically resign with the Suns instead of us this last offseason because of the Suns medical staff http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15899-phoenix-suns-

In 08-09 Shaq played 75 games at 30mpg for the Suns.

This is nothing like KG's injury. Shaq almost played in game 1, and he will play in this series. And unlike KG, surgery isn't going to fix anything, and I don't think he has another season left in him. He will go all out when he plays in this series.

Wrong its exactly like 08/09 when the they kept changing KGs medical prognosis. Different player same story. What about the pre med of Jermaine Oneal before signing him to the MLE.
I suppose they knew he would sit out almost the whole regular season.

[StartOrien]

Where is the Krstic hate coming from? I think he has been quite decent so far in the playoffs. He's defending and rebounding, what else do you want?

Personally, I've never ever wanted him to play a meaningful playoff minute for us.

I don't enjoy his game one bit. He's slow, and on top of that seems to have some pretty serious mental lapses on defense. It seems like he's floating 8-10 feet out, and won't go the block even when he has obvious match ups. If he's not going to capitalize on these match ups. Mentally, I think he's weak and I don't think he's up to the task at hand.

It doesn't really even matter. Even if we have Shaq, JO, Kristic, and Perk, Doc would still play Davis and Green more than any of those 4 centers.

I'm fine with providing Green extra minutes in this series, I think it's a pretty logical thing to do. I expect we'll see a little fire under Baby tonight and watch him get back to the things we like seeing him do.

Just don't want any Krstic

[hpantazo]

I have zero faith in the Celtics medical staff. This sounds like the same story we heard in 08/09 with KG.

Didnt Grant Hill specifically resign with the Suns instead of us this last offseason because of the Suns medical staff http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15899-phoenix-suns-

In 08-09 Shaq played 75 games at 30mpg for the Suns.

This is nothing like KG's injury. Shaq almost played in game 1, and he will play in this series. And unlike KG, surgery isn't going to fix anything, and I don't think he has another season left in him. He will go all out when he plays in this series.

Wrong its exactly like 08/09 when the they kept changing KGs medical prognosis. Different player same story. What about the pre medical diagnosis of Jermaine Oneal before signing him to the MLE.
I suppose they knew he would sit out almost the whole regular season.

well let's see what you say when Shaq plays in the next game or two.

[MG1]

Shaquille O'Neal doubtful Tuesday
http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nba/news/story?id=6471372

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said ailing center Shaquille O'Neal "looked terrific" going through an entire practice Monday, but soreness makes him doubtful for Tuesday's Game 2 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat.

"He looked great [Monday], went through the whole practice," said Rivers. "He was phenomenal, actually. ... But by the end of practice, he was struggling walking, so we'll see. I would say Game 3 is becoming likely. Game 2, we're not sure yet, but I doubt it."

So it went from "out for game 2" to "doubtful"?

[FatjohnReturns]

I have zero faith in the Celtics medical staff. This sounds like the same story we heard in 08/09 with KG.

Didnt Grant Hill specifically resign with the Suns instead of us this last offseason because of the Suns medical staff http://bleacherreport.com/articles/15899-phoenix-suns-

In 08-09 Shaq played 75 games at 30mpg for the Suns.

This is nothing like KG's injury. Shaq almost played in game 1, and he will play in this series. And unlike KG, surgery isn't going to fix anything, and I don't think he has another season left in him. He will go all out when he plays in this series.

Wrong its exactly like 08/09 when the they kept changing KGs medical prognosis. Different player same story. What about the pre medical diagnosis of Jermaine Oneal before signing him to the MLE.
I suppose they knew he would sit out almost the whole regular season.

well let's see what you say when Shaq plays in the next game or two.

Lets hope he does. He comes back strong and plays well Ill be more than happy to eat crow. I dont think so though. I mean they cleared him to play in April and he lasted 5 minutes. Five total minutes after that long layoff. Either they misdiagnosed the severity of the original injury or they cleared him to play prematurely either way it looks incompetent.