I probably gained 15 pounds yesterday, no joke. That’s what happens when you put a never-ending supply of dill dip and kielbasa in front of me. I parked my fat ass on the couch (prime real estate for the hors devours) and only moved when I needed to snatch a Coke, or fill my dinner plate.  I woke up this morning and couldn’t even think about eating, and definitely didn’t want to look at my fat ass in the mirror.

Lost in all the turkey (and dill dip, and kielbasa, and cake) splurging was that Avery Bradley’s injury wasn’t actually the worst sprained ankle in modern history. He actually underwent surgery to remove a large bone chip from his left ankle.

Bradley admitted he is not quite back to 100%, but his ankle feels better than it has since the surgery.

“Sometimes I go so hard in two-on-two [games] it tends to tighten up on me,’’ he told the Boston Globe. “I’d say I’m about 95 percent. If I take my ankle brace off, it’s still weak. But I’ve been practicing every single day and doing individual workouts real hard, so my ankle’s been strong.’’

The Celtics’ rookie point guard, who assistant coach Kevin Eastman says has only participated in three practices this season (including training camp), still hasn’t earned Doc Rivers’ trust. If Rajon Rondo can’t play tonight, said Rivers, Marquis Daniels will likely take over the backup point guard position.

“We have no choice,” Rivers told the Boston Herald. “We can play Avery (Bradley) in spots, but we have to protect him.”

“I was talking about it today for Avery,” Doc Rivers told CSNNE. “I think [assistant coach] Lawrence [Frank] or [assistant coach] Kevin Eastman said he’s been through three full practices this season, including training camp. And he’s a rookie, and we’re going to throw him on the floor? So we may, at times [play Bradley], but we’ve just got to protect him. We don’t want to ruin him. And he’s not healthy yet. Not great health.”

No offense meant to Rivers, but he has a tendency to “protect” rookies far more than he should. At some point, a coach just has to throw his first-round draft pick into a game and let him be baptized by fire. Especially now – with Rondo out, Delonte West injured, and cupcakes on the schedule — letting Bradley play minutes makes a whole lot of sense.

Letting rookies toil on the bench has become part of Rivers’ reputation, and it’s the biggest complaint I have with Rivers. He’s one of the best coaches in the NBA, and maybe his way of keeping rookies nailed to the bench works. But it sure is frustrating, isn’t it? Keeping Bradley on the bench might not just ”protect” him — it also might “hinder” his development.

Danny Ainge said it best.

“We love Avery,’’ he told the Boston Globe. “We think Avery is a talent. The only way he’ll grow as a player is with the opportunity to play. And there’s always growing pains for coaches playing young players, but at some point he needs the chance.’’

At some point Bradley needs the chance. So why not now?

The Morning Walkthrough is a set of links to Boston Celtics articles throughout the internet, designed to get your day started the right way.

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Daniels walked out of these summer contests with one overriding message: ‘Length, use my length.’ It’s the same message Daniels kept repeating Wednesday night due to a sudden point-guard dilemma. With Rajon Rondo sidelined with a sore hamstring, Delonte West out until possibly the playoffs with a broken right wrist and Nate Robinson in foul trouble, Doc Rivers was forced to use his swingman as a surrogate playmaker against New Jersey’s Devin Harris, one of the quickest players in the NBA. ‘I just thought, ‘Oh man, just try to pressure the ball as much as I can,’ ’ Daniels said after logging perhaps his finest game as a Celtic. Beyond his modest numbers – four points, four assists, three rebounds – Daniels turned the game around while matched against Harris and speedy backup Jordan Farmar. ‘I can play point guard if I have to,’ he said. ‘It’s not too tough. I just do what I have to do and take my time.’ It’s good he thinks that way. Rivers, who doesn’t plan to use Rondo in tonight’s game against Toronto, may have to hand the ball to Daniels again. ‘For a game, he’s going to have no choice,’ said Rivers. ‘I don’t know how much, but I can tell you it’ll be a lot of minutes. We have no choice. We can play Avery (Bradley) in spots, but we have to protect him. And Nate can’t get in foul trouble.’”

Chad Finn, Boston Globe – “Confidence wasn’t the initial mind-set when the idea of documenting the Celtics was first considered. ‘We didn’t think the Celtics would want to do it,’ said Simmons. ‘Because KG is so private, and they’d had such a tough loss last year. Oklahoma City was always the team that seemed like just a natural. They were the up-and-coming team. It seemed like the right fit. And when it didn’t work, we revisited the Celtics thing and thought, ‘Well, maybe we should ask.’ And I’m glad because I’d much rather do the Celtics. The key to this was that [coach] Doc [Rivers] wanted to do it,’ Simmons said. ‘It always comes down to the coach. If the coach is in, everyone else falls in line.’ For all of the established names on the Celtics, there remains a bit of mystery about certain individuals. For every gregarious Shaq or Big Baby, there is a guarded personality such as Rajon Rondo, or Garnett, who in four years in Boston has managed to remain out of the public eye away from the court. ‘I’m really hoping KG opens up,’ Simmons said, noting that Garnett has a familiarity with the NBA Entertainment since permitting them to film his offseason workouts in Malibu, Calif., a few years ago. ‘There’s not a lot of great KG footage through the years, but this is probably the best thing that’s been filmed with him. I think he trusts that crew a bit. And to be honest, with NBA Entertainment doing it, I do think it gives these guys a certain comfort level, because it’s not in the NBA’s interest to [mess with] these guys. Our job in way is to make sure it’s not a fluff piece either, to make sure there’s a nice balance.’ The premiere won’t feel like fluff to Celtics fans. ‘The theme of the show, of the first episode, is going to be the effect of losing Game 7 [of last year’s Finals] in a game the Lakers didn’t even play well,’ said Simmons. ‘That’s had an effect on these guys. I think maybe it’s a little more traumatic than maybe we realized during the summer. I think they really feel like they lost a title they should have won. And now they want to get it back. And we’ll see that that is driving them.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “Initially, management didn’t expect much from Bradley this season. He is offensively raw, although coach Doc Rivers said he is an NBA-caliber defender. Surgery to remove a large bone chip from his left ankle curtailed his progress, so much so that assistant coach Kevin Eastman estimated the guard has participated in just three practices covering training camp and the regular season. The plan was to work Bradley into the equation slowly as he nears full health. But those projections will be dramatically altered now that Delonte West will miss several weeks with a broken right wrist, suffered in Wednesday’s 89-83 win over the Nets. West was the primary backup to Rajon Rondo, who has missed the last three games with a strained left hamstring and likely won’t play tonight against Toronto. Nate Robinson played well in Rondo’s absence until foul trouble Wednesday night. Although he is only 5 feet 9 inches, Robinson is not a natural point guard and the Celtics would prefer not to assign him full responsibility of backing up Rondo.”

Shaun Powell, NBA.com – “Doc Rivers has coached some of the greats. Tracy McGrady. Grant Hill. Shaquille O’Neal. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, the Big Three of the Celtics. He never coached his second-youngest son, now a senior at Winter Park High School right outside Orlando, though. Rivers says Austin became the No. 1-rated recruit on his own and with help from other coaches, from age-group ball on up, and will get additional tips next year from Mike Krzyzewski, one of the best ever, when he suits up for Duke. But father and son talk, you know. And basketball comes up, you know. And the son is a carbon copy of the father: bright, basketball-smart, strategic and likable, you know. So maybe the father never really coached his son; that much is probably true. What Austin got, and continues to get, is something greater: A father who can relate. Earlier this year, Austin said: ‘You know, he’s just my dad. It’s a pretty normal father-son relationship. But we love to talk basketball.’”

Got a tip? An article you think should be included? Send an email to jayking@celticstown.com or hit me up on Twitter @CelticsTown.

Semih Erden's home country.

Do you know what I’m thankful for?

I’m thankful for the opportunity to watch the Celtics compete for a championship. I’m thankful for the Big Three’s continued run of great play, and for Rondo joining them (surpassing them, really) among the NBA’s elite players.

I’m thankful for Shaq’s tendency to amaze even as a 38-year old. I’m thankful for Nate Robinson’s joyous spirit and surprising ability to fill in for Rondo, and I’m thankful for Glen Davis and his never-ending string of charges taken. I’m thankful that I don’t have to watch Marty Conlon play basketball ever again.

I’m thankful for Delonte West’s second chance, and my second chance to cheer for him as a Celtic. I’m thankful for Von Wafer’s development and maturation. I’m thankful for Marquis Daniels’s ability to cut, and for the days he provides a lot even on occasions when he does very little. I’m thankful for being able to look forward to Jermaine O’Neal’s return (I had to be thankful for something with Jermaine, right?).

I’m thankful for Luke Harangody’s hideous, yet somehow effective and ridiculously quick, release. I’m thankful for Avery Bradley’s promise, and his pitbull defensive mentality. I’m thankful for Paul Pierce’s stepback jumper, Rondo’s fake around-the-back, Ray Allen’s picture-perfect shooting stroke, and Kevin Garnett’s fire. I’m thankful for Perk’s scowl, candidness, and dedication to return from injury in shape, and I’m thankful that Semih Erden has proven himself to be something other than the average soft European stiff.

I’m thankful that Danny Ainge had a vision and stuck to it. I’m thankful that the owners are willing to spend ungodly amounts of money to let it happen.

I’m thankful for Doc Rivers’s decision to return and see this whole thing through.

I’m thankful that I can share my Celtics thoughts with all of you, and that some of you even care.

So thanks for reading, everybody. Enjoy your turkey, and, if you’re lucky, the presence of family and friends.

This picture has literally nothing to do with the post. But peep Perk's scowl behind Garnett. (AP Photo)

I’ve been critical of Von Wafer. I’m not going to hide that fact. He’s done a few things to piss me off, and those things were compounded because I began the season with Wafer on a short leash. Blame me for that, but locker room problems (read: Wafer with Rick Adelman and/or Wafer in Greece) tend to stay locker room problems.

But I have to give credit where credit’s due: Wafer seems to be getting the proverbial “it.”

Yesterday night, Wafer played five minutes and registered zeros in every statistical category. When Wafer doesn’t score, that normally means he makes no impact, or maybe even a negative one. This is a man whose one real NBA talent, entering this season, was his ability to throw a basketball into a hoop. Sure, Wafer possesses all the athleticism to play lockdown defense, but let’s just be kind and say lockdown defense was never what he was known for.

I still wouldn’t call defense Wafer’s calling card, but yesterday was a big step away from the doghouse.

“I thought his defensive energy was phenomenal,” Rivers told CSNNE. “It was great for Von in the locker room. Everybody was grabbing him . . . because ‘defense’ and ‘Von’ can now go together. And that’s a great thing.”

Before the season, Wafer said just making the Celtics wasn’t enough for him — he wanted to play minutes, real minutes. What does he say now, averaging only 5.6 minutes per game and already having received five DNP-CDs?

“I’m just happy to be part of this. There’s something special going on.”

What type of special?

“It’s not about you, it’s about us,” Wafer said. “Just stay ready because you never know what could happen. That’s what they preach here and I believe in it. Everybody has one goal and whether you’re playing or you’re cheerleading, you’ve got to be ready.”

Last night Wafer was ready, and it paid off when Rivers praised the young shooting guard following the game. Rivers tapped Wafer and said, “See what I told you?” Wafer’s contributions aren’t going to be measured by made jumpers or fast-break dunks, not in Boston. This is a championship-caliber team he now plays for, one that can’t tolerate porous defense, can’t tolerate anything less than team ball.

And so the veterans have schooled Wafer on what it means to be a Celtic.

“I’m really learning how to become a professional here,” he said. “I’ve learned so much. People have a lot of negative things to say about me. I just didn’t really know, but these guys have really taken me under their wings and they’re showing me. I think I’ve gotten a lot better. It’s just part of staying ready and being part of this culture.”

What type of culture? The type where five minutes of all zeros can be celebrated in the locker room. The type where a man who didn’t score a single point can be grabbed after the game by all his teammates – teammates who simply wanted to congratulate him, to praise him.

The chance to play won’t always come. The Celtics have a deep bench stocked with talented players. Even in Delonte West’s absence, the Celtics have plenty of players capable of absorbing West’s minutes.

But when the chance does come? When Doc Rivers does call Von Wafer’s name?

Wafer says he’ll be ready. And you know what?

I’m starting to believe him.

The Morning Walkthrough is a set of links to Boston Celtics articles throughout the internet, designed to get your day started the right way.

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “In his best performance as a Celtic, O’Neal took a little time to bask in the crowd’s vocal appreciation. ‘I think people appreciate my hard work, especially over the last 18 years,’ he said. ‘I think they understand that when I came here for the 1.5 (million dollars), they knew what was on my mind. For them, it’ll be 18 (championships). For the Big Three, it’ll be two (titles). And for me it’ll be Big No. 5. That’s the only thing that I’ll focus on right now.’ O’Neal has also passed an early judgment on his team. ‘This is a great team, the best I’ve been on,’ he said. ‘They’ve got a lot of great weapons on this team, so on any given night anybody can be the leading scorer. . . . Yes, the best team. As far as players, as far as guys being really close. I know we’ve only been at this for two months, but hopefully the outcome will be a good one.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “Delonte West spent less than five full games in uniform before bad luck struck the troubled guard again. In the midst of sparking his lethargic team in the second quarter against the Nets, West was knocked off balance by New Jersey’s Travis Outlaw on a drive to the basket, sustaining a broken right wrist. While it’s unclear how long West will be out, the club is preparing for him to miss at least three months. Coach Doc Rivers and team president Danny Ainge both mentioned West being ready for the playoffs in April. ‘It’s broken for sure,’ Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. ‘Don’t know anything else more than that; a compound fracture most likely. But that’s going to be a long time, let’s just put it that way.’ … Ainge said the club will not immediately search for another guard. ‘We like our guys, and Avery [Bradley] is starting to get healthy and Avery and Von are going to have to step up and play,’ Ainge said. ‘In order to make a move we’d have to let someone go and we like our guys. It’s tragic for Delonte. Basketball is a very important part of his life. I hate to see this happen. But Delonte will be able to return late in the season to help us.’”

Jessica Camerato, CSNNE – “On Wednesday night Delonte West broke his wrist on a drive to the basket. Rivers projects West could be sidelined until the playoffs, leaving a gap in the Celtics backcourt. Enter Wafer. Wafer started the fourth quarter and played during a five-minute stretch in which the Celtics went on a critical 9-4 run. Even though his box score reads zeros in every category, he provided a necessary spark off the bench. ‘Von Wafer — his stat line’s going to say he did basically nothing — I thought his defensive energy was phenomenal,’ said Rivers. ‘It was great for Von in the locker room. Everybody was grabbing him . . . because ‘defense’ and ‘Von’ can now go together. And that’s a great thing.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, supported by the 25-point, 11-rebound work of Shaquille O’Neal, took charge down the stretch. But Daniels’ modest numbers (four points, four assists, three rebounds) belied his ability to fill a gaping hole with a series of game-saving plays. ‘I thought he really changed the game,’ Pierce said. ‘I thought his length really bothered the point guards. In the pick-and-roll he was able to get over and under and switch it up. He just showed his versatility – some of the things he can do when he gets in the game. He usually doesn’t guard point guards, but we know he is capable of guarding two, three, four positions,’ he said. ‘They were great in the pick-and-roll in the first half against us, and in the second half, once we got him in the game, it really changed things defensively for us.’”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “On that pass, Allen might as well have been Anfernee Hardaway or Derek Fisher, because it certainly was vintage Shaq. ‘I know I can do [the old stuff], that’s why Danny [Ainge] signed me up and I’m still here,’ he said. ‘That’s why I’ve accomplished so much. At the time I’m not really getting a lot of plays called for me, but guys are dropping it off and I am finishing.’ … ‘He looked like the 2000 Shaq. The ’99 Shaq, the 2001 and 2002 to 2003 to 2004 to 2005 to 2006,’ forward Kevin Garnett joked. ‘He looked fresh tonight. I thought he did a great job of getting us in a bonus early. On this team night in and night out, we are going to have a different guy from [Pierce] to Ray to anybody, and tonight it was Shaq.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “This was a game for Shaquille O’Neal to shine, Marquis Daniels to provide quality minutes, and Von Wafer to establish his defensive credentials. But when it counted, the ball was in the hands of the Celtics’ Big Three — Allen, Garnett, and Pierce. The Celtic starters were 8 for 11 from the field in the final quarter, Pierce the only one to miss a shot. Allen was 1 for 3 in the opening half but finished with 15 points and a season-high seven assists. Garnett was off (4 for 12) but kept firing away and landed a jumper from the top of the key off an Allen feed late in the third quarter, then played floor-pounding defense to stop Kris Humphries. Pierce playing point is not a long-term solution, though the Celtics might have to use a similar strategy against Toronto tomorrow, unless Rondo recovers enough for trainer Ed Lacerte to OK him to play. ‘I’m probably less likely, the way things are going,’ Rivers said when asked whether he’d use Rondo against the Raptors. ‘I’m serious about that. Unless Eddie says [Rondo’s] feeling great. And I know Rondo, so we’re going to have to really have a long talk for him to play.’”

Got a tip? An article you think should be included? Send an email to jayking@celticstown.com or hit me up on Twitter @CelticsTown.

Delonte West went down with a broken right wrist injury during the second quarter of tonight’s game against New Jersey. West, one of the NBA’s toughest players, screamed in pain after landing on his non-shooting wrist. He exited the court, accompanied by the Celtics team doctor, with his hand held closely to his body.

After West left the game, Marquis Daniels assumed backup point guard duties. In case you’d forgotten, Daniels flopped last season in a similar role. He seems to perform better as small forward, but Doc Rivers doesn’t have any trust in Avery Bradley, the other option to take Delonte’s spot. Once Rajon Rondo returns to the court, Nate Robinson will again become the backup and Daniels will slide back over to the wing.

When West gets injured, one has to remember that it is more than just basketball. West’s bipolar disorder makes good things seem great, while bad things seem terrible. His moods are often extreme, and if West’s bipolar disorder flares up after the injury he could be in a bad way. My thoughts and prayers go out to Delonte, that he may take the injury in stride and handle it well.