Notebook Injury Update: KG, Pierce Out, Davis Back Saturday

Posted by Brian Robb on Dec 31, 2009 51135 commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F12%2F31%2Fnotebook-injury-update-kg-pierce-out-davis-back-saturday%2FNotebook+Injury+Update%3A+KG%2C+Pierce+Out%2C+Davis+Back+Saturday2009-12-31+13%3A17%3A03Brian+Robbhttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D5113

The C’s had their ugliest loss of the year last night in Phoenix, but all the news this morning is centered on the team’s depleted personnel. Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald and Gary Washburn of The Globe get us updated on the recent developments.

First, and perhaps most important, is the status of Kevin Garnett. Doc sat him out last night due to a hyperextended knee and will keep out again Saturday night against Toronto.

Doc commented on the situation to Bulpett:

“You know, someone said, ‘Are you being too cautious?’ Probably. But I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Garnett, who watched last night’s game from the team hotel, is apparently over the right thigh bruise that caused him to miss a game last week.

“It’s really just a hyperextended knee,” Rivers said. “He did it in the Clippers game and complained about it. It wasn’t a big deal. I didn’t like the way he ran in the second half of the Clippers game. That’s the first that I noticed anything.”

Trainer Ed Lacerte related through the team that the current injury has nothing to with the problem that caused Garnett to miss the end of last season.

“I’m very comfortable with that,” Rivers said. “My only issue is how long does it take to get him right from this?”

Rivers added that Garnett would not be held out of any other games down the line unless he is injured.

Doc also all but ruled Paul Pierce out of the game against Toronto, eyeing a return next week for The Captain:

“I don’t think so,” Rivers said. “I can’t imagine that at all. I would say Paul is realistic for the Miami game.” (Herald)

Next we have Big Baby’s status. As reported yesterday, the ankle sprain looks to be less serious than initially anticipated. Davis is targeting a Saturday return:

“I thought it was going to be worse,” he said, ‘but it’ll be OK. . . . I’ve just got to fight through it.”

After the jump, Gary Washburn updates us on the status of Rajon Rondo’s balky hamstring, and when can we expect Tommy Heinsohn to return to the airwaves?

A bit of an alarming quote from Doc via Washburn in The Globe about Rondo’s injury status:

“I’m actually far more concerned about that than Kevin,’’ Rivers said. “Kevin I’m shutting down but Rondo I am watching closely because a hamstring injury is a tough injury. If I see anything in the game, he’s out, too, and we’ll just play with who we got left.’’

Talk like that concerns me and makes me wonder why the C’s star point guard played 32 minutes in a blowout loss last night. The C’s have struggled without Pierce, but if Rondo goes out for any extended period of time, things could get ugly in a hurry. Let’s hope Doc listens to his own cautious approach here.

Finally Tommy Heinsohn, who has been out battling pneumonia, should return to CSN on Saturday night as well.