Shaq returns to practice
The Celtics were not scheduled for a full-speed practice session today, but Shaq got some shots up anyway. He also watched film with the team and was expected to participate in the team’s walkthrough. If I’m not mistaken, it was Shaq’s first practice since early February.
His real test, though, will come tomorrow and Saturday, when the Celtics go full speed.
“I do [think Shaq will play in Game 1], I can’t guarantee that,” Doc Rivers told ESPN Boston. “He’s going to do a little bit today. We’re not going to do enough — we’re going to walk through stuff so I could do today — but [Friday] and [Saturday] are the big days for Shaq. He’s going to try to get through practice and see what we can do.”
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Celtics Blog | Jay King | April 14, 2011
Good news. Ainge better hope his Center-by-Committee, whoever-is-aching-less-today-starts arrangement works.
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I mean, how amazing is it that we are going into the playoffs preparing to start a guy who has barely played in two months, backed up by a guy who has barely played in three months, backed up by Mr. Hey-I’m-better-than-Semih, and folks wonder why this team has cohesion problems…what a frackin’ mystery it all is…
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Imagine how happy we would be with Jermaine right now if he were backing up Perk, and we would be praying for Shaq to give us ten minutes… that would be the team to beat in the playoffs…
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Frank… would you be happy with VW guarding Kobe/LBJ and the other top forwards when PP goes out and the lack of offense from a bench without Green? Or maybe you think Sasha could guard those guys and provide that offense too? And you’d be happy with Nate who has played 4 games for OKC in the last 2 months, but had no problem hoisting 3s and taking shots that killed all momentum time and time again? A team with no bench cannot win the championship. Trust me, I think you’ll be happier once the playoffs start and you realize that this team can win it all. Go Cs…
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I pray you’re right but how about Shane Battier coming off the bench to Guard kobe? I would have gave up Semi, Luke and Bradley for him and kept Perk.. not only would we win this year but a chance for next year to repeat.. Perkins would have stayed for less.
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That’s an awful lot to give up for a 32 yr old player whose stats are going in the wrong direction. I don’t think Houston was interested in anything the Cs were willing to give up and I don’t think DA would have included Bradley in any deal unless it was spectacular. He really likes this kid and it’s easy to see why. KP wasn’t going to sign for the little money the Cs could offer as they are tapped out. He got a great deal from OKC because they aren’t paying 4 HOFs and 2 all-stars (and two of ours [Shaq & JO] took minimum money for the chance to get rings). I think DA got the best deal he could and now we’ll see how it all plays out when it matters the most. Go Cs…
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If we can only get a serviceable Shaq back for the 2nd round on out, we’ll win this championship this year. We do NOT need Shaq to hurry back in order to beat the NY Knicks. That’s only what the media types who hate AND fear the C’s are recommending…with the hope that he’ll be reinjured before facing their picks the Heat and the Bulls.
They “KNOW” already that Shaq with the Big 4 was the 2nd best starting 5 in the NBA this year..and it terrifies them that Shaq may get healtier by May and come back to haunt their arses. Therefore, they keep doing this great daily countdowns to see if they can get Shaq to come back prematurely for game #1 against the “no center, no defense” Knicks in hope that if he will come back early he may quickly re-injure himself and not be around to face the Heat & Bulls.
I hope that Doc and Danny Ainge know better than to fall for this media ploy.
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