JO was playing with a broken wrist since Game 1 of the Knicks series

[Drucci]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

[kozlodoev]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

He's never been soft in the sense of not willing to play through pain. But the guy is made of porcelain. Seriously.

[Drucci]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

He's never been soft in the sense of not willing to play through pain. But the guy is made of porcelain. Seriously.

Sure but I find it really stupid to blame a guy for things he can't control. I understand making fun of him because he can't stay healthy but if there is one thing he can't control it's this : health.

[Lucky17]

Heard Ainge mention JO injured a wrist, but didn't realize it was broken.

Like West, JO has a big heart and a warrior's mentality. But like West, if you're counting on JO to play 60+ games in a season, you're playing with fire.

I'd bring both back, but you have to have competent backups to step up when (not if) they get injured.

[mostofusrsad]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

He's never been soft in the sense of not willing to play through pain. But the guy is made of porcelain. Seriously.

both JO and Shaq were predictably injured and at this stage of their careers they are practically worthless because they simply will never be on the court.

[Roy H.]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

Yeah, agreed.  It was shocking the number of people who would get on JO for being soft, even when given evidence to the contrary where he played through pain and injury in Indiana, Miami, etc.

He's a tough guy, he's just more fragile than most, unfortunately.

[kozlodoev]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

He's never been soft in the sense of not willing to play through pain. But the guy is made of porcelain. Seriously.

both JO and Shaq were predictably injured and at this stage of their careers they are practically worthless because they simply will never be on the court.

I don't see anything predictable in this O'Neal played the entire previous regular season without any major injury.

[PosImpos]

Yeah, I really gained a lot of respect for JO this year.  I like him a lot. 

Still, he is extremely injury prone and looks to be near the end of his career.  I wouldn't be sad at all to see him replaced (with somebody more durable, better, younger, faster, more athletic etc) next year.

[PosImpos]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

He's never been soft in the sense of not willing to play through pain. But the guy is made of porcelain. Seriously.

both JO and Shaq were predictably injured and at this stage of their careers they are practically worthless because they simply will never be on the court.

I don't see anything predictable in this O'Neal played the entire previous regular season without any major injury.

But he was dogging it with a major knee injury at the end of the year / first round of the playoffs last year.  Plus he has a long injury history.  A full regular season was an anomaly for him.

[j804]

Yeah, I really gained a lot of respect for JO this year.  I like him a lot. 

Still, he is extremely injury prone and looks to be near the end of his career.  I wouldn't be sad at all to see him replaced (with somebody more durable, better, younger, faster, more athletic etc) next year.

I agree off the bench he's fine but as our starting Center we need to look somewhere else, can we get
something better?!?

maybe not but I can hope

[kozlodoev]

But he was dogging it with a major knee injury at the end of the year / first round of the playoffs last year.  Plus he has a long injury history.  A full regular season was an anomaly for him.

True, but he wasn't dogging it. He would have been dogging it if he stepped off the court and said, "I can't do this, I'm injured".

[mostofusrsad]

Yeah, I really gained a lot of respect for JO this year.  I like him a lot. 

Still, he is extremely injury prone and looks to be near the end of his career.  I wouldn't be sad at all to see him replaced (with somebody more durable, better, younger, faster, more athletic etc) next year.

Any team that has to use JO as their starting center with starter minutes will not win the championship in this league...he is strictly a 15 minute a night backup...IF he can stay healthy and has the desire.  He is a nice guy, but he probably should go elsewhere where championships don't matter.

[footey]

I was disappointed in his play, did not know about his wrist injury.  I think we are okay at the center spot with Jermaine starting and Krystc off the bench. But both have to come in in great shape. I feel Krsystc really needs to get in the weight room and get stronger. He has a good feel with the ball.

[PosImpos]

But he was dogging it with a major knee injury at the end of the year / first round of the playoffs last year.  Plus he has a long injury history.  A full regular season was an anomaly for him.

True, but he wasn't dogging it. He would have been dogging it if he stepped off the court and said, "I can't do this, I'm injured".

Fair enough; point stands, though, he was injured and barely able to contribute.

[clover]

Per Paul Flannery :

Jermaine O'Neal needs surgery on a fractured left wrist suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks series.

It explains why he struggled to finish around the basket especially against Miami... and confirms that he is a warrior (and to think people labeled him soft all year long!). I have even more respect for JO now and just hopes he comes back next year instead of retiring this summer.

Hear!  Hear!