Good news from JO

[Drucci]

Something to cheer us up after the CP3 "debacle".

O'Neal on his health: O’Neal made it clear that any lingering aches and pains from his injury-plagued 2010-2011 season are a thing of the past. “Physically I couldn’t feel any better than I feel right now,” he said.

“When I came back [in last year’s playoffs] I had some back spasms, but my knee felt pain-free. I wanted to really challenge myself this summer to see just how much my body could take. I felt like I did that. I wanted to get as strong as possible, as fit as possible, and I put in a lot of time. To be honest, I really didn’t take much time off at all.”

As for a wrist injury suffered in the postseason, O’Neal said he decided against surgery on his fractured left wrist because the long recovery process would have likely been career-ending.

“I’d have been done [if I’d had the surgery],” he said. “I wouldn’t have played, because it would have taken six months to recover. That means no training, no strength training, almost no shooting. So it was something that, when I spoke to the doctor, I said I’ll get it done when I’m done playing.

On offseason training: O’Neal worked out all over the place during the offseason -- in Houston (with Tracy McGrady), in Chicago, in Vegas and L.A., and even in China while there on business.

“Whether it’s this year or next year, I don’t want to limp out of basketball," he said. "At the end of the day we’re all men and we have to look in that mirror every morning and you ask yourself, ‘Did I leave the way I want? Did I do everything I possibly could do to position myself to leave the way I want?’ And only you can answer that.

“I really wanted to focus on my legs, and get the legs strong, get the quads strong so I can control the knee. So we’ll see. I think right now, at the end of the day, when I look in that mirror, I know that I did everything I can do.”

(On the lack of other bigs on the Celtics roster:“You can only control what you can control... [Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is] always pretty good with making moves. He saw the schedule just like we all saw the schedule, so I’m sure he’s working whatever he needs to work. But we’ll see tomorrow what we have here. You want to position yourself, just in case. And I don’t worry about it. If you worry about being hurt and those kinds of things, it’s going to happen over and over again, I know that.”

On the start of training camp: “Obviously there’s nothing like training camp… Even in pickup games, you’re not necessarily banging bodies, you know, you’re not really going full tilt," he said. "But when the season comes, you’re full tilt. The bodies and the banging is at another level. So we’ll see how guys hold up. It’s going to be difficult. Look at the NFL -- they had a lot of injuries real quick. But the problem is, with ours, if we have injuries we might miss a significant amount of games because it’s every other day it seems like. So I think guys are probably a little bit shocked about the schedule.”

On the Rondo trade rumors: “Everybody tends to deal with that differently," he said. "I’m sure Doc and Danny have talked to Rondo about that. You can look at it two ways: [On one hand], people want you. People are calling. You never know. It may be the other team putting it out there … Who knows?

“This is a business. And more than anything, I think every player has a great perspective on this business now, from the negotiation process [during the lockout]. And if they didn’t do their job to understand it, there’s something wrong with them because it’s more evident than ever that this business has changed.”

On being back in Boston and chasing a title: “I think that’s the only thing that keeps bringing me back -– I haven’t played in a Finals game. Everything else I’ve been able to enjoy, but a Finals game is something that I desperately want to do … I want to feel that environment. I know how those conference finals are. It’s unbelievable. You smell it from the parking lot. The intensity is so major that you just want to get there.

“I know that if I’m right I can really help the team. And I know that Doc was in a tough position last year, and I was almost no help on the offensive end last year. And that’s what I want to do. I want to dominate on the defensive end and give Doc an opportunity, when Kevin gets tired in that low post, to throw it to me and help this team out.”

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4686752/jermaine-oneal-checks-in

Of course it's still likely that JO will get injured and miss a lot of games but still, it's nice to hear the man is motivated, has worked hard and really wants to help the team. It's interesting to hear him talk about contributing more offensively.

[celticinorlando]

i have zero faith in jermaine o'neal. he will be hurt by Feb.

[Who]

You can't trust a word that comes out of that man's mouth. He has been saying the same thing for the last seven years.

Gives a bloody great interview, I'll give him that.

[kozlodoev]

Somehow we hear this from Jermaine O'Neal every year, and somehow he still finds new ways to get hurt. Take everything with a grain of salt and plan for the worst.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, still good to see it, regardless.

[celticinorlando]

JO just got hurt giving the interview

[Neurotic Guy]

He made me smile -- and I appreciate that.

[Finkelskyhook]

Why would anybody believe anything this guy says?

“I’d have been done [if I’d had the surgery],” he said. “I wouldn’t have played, because it would have taken six months to recover. That means no training, no strength training, almost no shooting. So it was something that, when I spoke to the doctor, I said I’ll get it done when I’m done playing.

Yeah...As opposed to coming to camp 40-50 lbs overweight like last year.

Truly comforting to know that he's been "working" with fellow tanker McGrady.

On being back in Boston and chasing a title: “I think that’s the only thing that keeps bringing me back

Yeah...That and 6.9m cash for giving an occasional interview and tweet stating my desire to contribute.

[Jon]

i have zero faith in jermaine o'neal. he will be hurt by Feb.

Maybe, maybe not.  

However, he's not that old (only PP's age).  While he may miss time, if he can stay reasonably healthy, I think it's well within the realm of possibility he can return to his form from 2-3 year ago.  

And if he can return to that form, playing with the talent he's playing with now, should yield dividends.  

I still think when healthy (and that's a big if), he can be the best center the Celtics have had in the new Big Three Era.  

[Lord of Mikawa]

If he is as healthy as he claims, trade him.