It’s reasonably safe to say the Boston Celtics are done dealing, which is okay. Danny Ainge has put together a deep team, one that will (hopefully) be able to withstand whatever injuries occur (and, on this team, injuries will inevitably occur). Even if you disagree with the Jeff Green trade, it’s not hard to see why Ainge made the deal (versatility, roster flexibility, faith in the O’Neals — wait, what?). Likewise, adding Troy Murphy made sense. So did the Marquis Daniels trade. The Celtics only received a 2017 (!) second-round draft pick in return, but Daniels probably won’t play another second this season.

One move Ainge made at the trade deadline looks less justifiable: Semih Erden and Luke Harangody for a second-rounder.

At the time, I figured Ainge had a plan for the two roster spots opened by the trade. I envisioned him adding two proven vets, even if the vets’ best days were behind them. Richard Hamilton’s name was tossed around as a buyout candidate, and so was Samuel Dalembert’s. The Celtics could have added Troy Murphy with Daniels’ roster spot, then added two veterans to take Erden and Harangody’s places.

In reality, they added Sasha Pavlovic and “Empty Roster Spot X.” Confusing, I know. (Note: Chris Johnson occupies that spot for now, but I don’t suspect the Celtics will keep him beyond his ten-day contract.)

Erden will not necessarily become a star, or anywhere close to it. He’s already 24 years old, and his PER (10.75) and rebounding rate (12.2) both scream “not terrific.” But still, he’s a rookie seven-footer with potential. Unless you trade him for something of worth, you might as well hold onto him and let him develop. Especially considering how the Celtics have struggled considerably with injuries all season, and Erden provided depth in the frontcourt. If Glen Davis misses any extended time due to his injury, Erden certainly could have helped.

I wrote “unless you trade him for something of worth, you might as well hold onto him and let him develop.” Sasha Pavlovic, by any measure, is not something of worth. The only way Pavlovic ever sees the court (at least, if Doc Rivers understands how bad he has been for the past five years) is if the Celtics experience an onslaught of injuries at the wing. Even then, Von Wafer would seem a far better option than Pavlovic. As would my grandmother.

Even if the Celtics have a different view of Pavlovic than most observers, they could have added him while also holding onto Erden. Cut Harangody, pay the remainder of his $437,604 salary (plus luxury tax), and keep Erden while still adding a roster spot.

Maybe the trade was about money? But, combined, Erden and Harangody made less than $1 million this season, and will make approximately $1.5 million next season. Wyc Grousbeck, Steve Pagliuca and the Celtics owners have normally been more than willing to pay for winners, and Erden and/or Harangody were hardly out of their price range.

Most likely, Ainge thought the Celtics could add two veterans with the deal, but the buyout market did not pan out the way he expected. Now, the Celtics lost a talented seven-footer with potential (and Luke Harangody), using their two deserted roster spots to add only Sasha Pavlovic.

The Perkins trade is defensible, at worst, and some would even say a very good trade (though only time will tell). But the Erden/Harangody trade? Unless Ainge has another signing up his sleeve, the early returns say:

Blah.

If the Boston Celtics want to scoop Anthony Parker from the Cleveland Cavaliers, they will most likely need to part ways with Semih Erden. (Akron Beacon Journal)

With the NBA’s trade deadline two days away, Parker remains the Cavs’ top target of interest from teams around the league. Both the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics have expressed interest in him, one league source said, but the Cavs want a player in return and not a low draft pick.

They have targeted Omer Asik from the Bulls and Semih Erden from the Celtics, but both teams have been reluctant to part with either player. Asik is 7 feet tall, and Erden is listed at 6-11. Both were second-round picks in 2008.

I’ve asked this question before, when Marc Stein reported the Cavs were looking for a promising big man in return for Parker, but: Would you trade Semih Erden for Anthony Parker? It couldn’t be done straight up, but would you trade Marquis Daniels and Semih Erden for Anthony Parker?

I’m leaning toward no. I’m not completely against moving Erden, if the right deal presents itself. But Parker’s not even a definite upgrade over Von Wafer, who — might I add — has been playing quite well recently. Parker’s also not the type of player on whom the Celtics should spend a promising seven-footer.

You know who is, though? Shane Battier. But the Celtics are reportedly against sending Erden to Houston, even for the man with built-in cornrows. (Houston Chronicle)

ESPN reported that the Celtics had interest in Battier, but quickly shot that down, pointing out that the Celtics would not be willing to move the players the Rockets would want. Actually, I think the Rockets would be tempted to make the deal if the Celtics would include center Semih Erden, though we’ll probably never know since Boston apparently wants to keep and develop him.

If Shane Battier is available and Semih Erden’s the only thing holding the deal back, I assume Danny Ainge will pull the trigger. If not, well, he’ll have to answer to my wrath.

P.S. – Kendrick Perkins said his knee is “real sore” after bumping it last night, and his status for Thursday’s game is in the air. Perk didn’t undergo any additional testing, meaning the injury shouldn’t be too serious. (*Furiously knocking on wood*)

P.P.S. – Leon Powe’s looking for a buyout. I assume that piques some of your interest, but remember: Powe has done approximately squaw-doosh for Cleveland, and the C’s don’t exactly need another undersized power forward.

Not sure exactly why I picked a smiling Shaq pic for this post.

The latest victim of the Celtics’ injury bug? Shaquille O’Neal, who left last night’s game with a sore hip after less than seven minutes of playing time.

Shaq did not make the trip to Washington with the team, meaning he almost certainly won’t play tonight against the Wizards. He could play Tuesday against Cleveland, but Doc Rivers said the team would probably need Semih Erden the next couple games. (Green Street)

“We’re going to need him probably the next couple of games,” Rivers said of Erden. “We’re probably not going to take [O'Neal] on the trip. I think it’s his hip. Something locked up. We’ll just have to see how long that will be.”

After Wednesday night’s game against Detroit, Rivers explained what it’s like for an old body like Shaq’s.

“Honest to God, when you get old, there’s days the legs work and days they don’t,” Rivers said. “And you can’t call them. Honest to God, in my last year, there was no rhyme or reason. You can play a back-to-back game, the second day you felt great and the first — it made no sense. And you know, I think that’s who he will be.”

As a 23-year old who stopped working out for a full year and thus has the body of a 38-year old geezer like Shaq, I can vouch for Doc’s theory. Some days I wake up and hunch over when I walk because my back hurts so bad. I limp because my leg throbs with pain, and I don’t even know why it hurts — until I realize I spent ten minutes on the treadmill the previous day. I try to play basketball, except I look like Rasheed Wallace — I travel from three-point arc to three-point arc, and play as if the painted area has a restraining order on me — mostly because my body feels like Big Baby sat on me for three straight weeks.

There are other days when I wake up and feel like Zeus. I head to the gym and sprint on the eliptical machine for a full hour. I bench press and set personal records, and lift heavy weights like they’re feathers (admittedly, the “lift heavy weights like they’re feathers” part is a slight exaggeration). I scrimmage against my JV players in practice, and — yes, I know I’m a former college basketball player playing against high school JV players — I play like I never missed a beat. On days like that, my body actually does what I tell it to. Just like the old days, back when my body was cut from stone (or, rather, cut from something besides flab).

And so I understand why Shaq’s body doesn’t cooperate every night. I feel your pain, Shaq. The silver lining to Shaq’s latest injury is that we now get to see Semih Erden play more basketball for the next game or two (or however many). And though it hurts to see Shaq hurt after he’d played so well the past couple games, long live the Turk.

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

When you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all.

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Coach Doc Rivers said he didn’t know whether O’Neal would ultimately require surgery. ‘I’m concerned,’ Rivers said. ‘I think he’s gone two weeks and a practice and his knee swells up. First of all, it has to be extremely frustrating for him. He worked his butt off to get back and he was playing well. Secondly, we all have common sense. That’s a concern, ‘Why is this happening?’ And so we have to figure that out.’ Having shut down O’Neal once already, Rivers didn’t seem as though he wanted to do it again. ‘We’ve done that and we thought we were good, and it happened again,’ Rivers said. ‘I don’t know. I don’t have any answers. I just know this has to be frustrating.’”

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “For better or worse, the Celtics need Jermaine O’Neal to be functioning this spring. If his knee injury is going to be a constant concern, then that is a very big deal for the Celtics because they still don’t know what Kendrick Perkins will be able to give them when he comes back and Shaquille O’Neal’s play has tapered off dramatically since late December. Rivers had a plan for the O’Neals, but it has already been blown up and modified as the injuries have mounted and lingered. ‘We had a strategy going into the year with Jermaine and Shaq, but we didn’t account for the other guys going down,’ Rivers said. ‘That’s where it kind of got a little dicey and still is.’ The Celtics need three centers for the playoffs and for the time being they have two. Both of whom, it should be pointed out, have their own injuries. That’s their biggest concern right now. Not Garnett.”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “There’s a good chance, according to Rivers, that Kevin Garnett may not see action until Monday, when the Orlando Magic visit. Though Garnett has required more time than expected to recover from a strained right calf, Rivers insisted that unlike the forward’s knee trouble two years ago, there is not more to this than the team is letting on. ‘It’s no conspiracy,’ Rivers said. ‘He’s just taking a little longer than we wanted him to. No one has told me to worry about it. (Trainer) Eddie (Lacerte) has been really nonchalant about (whether this is going to be) a season-long injury problem. He’s dealing with it like Kevin. But with Kevin, he’s so emotional that you want to make sure he doesn’t get down about stuff. That’s where I’m always concerned with him — starting this why-is-this- happening-to-me stuff, you don’t want him to go there. It’s not a bad injury, but he doesn’t like missing games. I think his goal was to play all 82. The fact that isn’t going to happen (ticks) him off. It’s just who he is. That’s a good thing in the long run.”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “‘We didn’t come out with the same energy [Monday] as we did tonight,’ said Marquis Daniels, who scored 12 points off the bench. ‘We’ve just got to find a way to do it every night regardless of who we’re playing. We’ve just got to come in, get back in transition, and rebound the basketball. We’ve been getting killed on the boards, so that’s something we’ve got to focus on. It’s always another notch we can go to. We’ve just got to pick each other up, regardless of if it’s the starters or the second string. We’ve just got to be tuned in and play a full 48-minute game. … Rivers needed to see his players respond to his call for more energy, and they did. ‘We just wanted to put pressure on them, making sure that we were the instigators,’ Davis said. ‘It means a lot. It helps the team out in so many ways just to do things harder. It helps on the offense and defensive side. It sets a standard. That’s what we need to do.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “‘I thought we played well in the first half in two ways. I thought we had an amazing pace with Rondo and Nate,’ coach Doc Rivers said. ‘We were pushing the ball up the floor. We missed I don’t know how many point-blank layups and open shots. So I told them, don’t worry about the offense.’ The defense, without Garnett, is a going concern, as evidenced by Sacramento’s ability to shoot 51.4 percent, including a marauding paint performance by power forward Carl Landry, who scored seven of his 17 points from the line. But the bench ultimately made it possible for the starters to take a fourth-quarter seat. After the recent grind of seven games in 10 days, the break was badly needed. ‘I saw Paul icing early, Ray (Allen) is icing early, Rondo,’ said Daniels. ‘It’s always a good thing to see those guys icing early. We are going to need those guys down the line.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “Boston’s strong performance was fueled by Pierce’s ability to make the most of his matchup with Sacramento’s Franciso Garcia. Celtics coach Doc Rivers attributes Pierce’s strong play, as well as the solid performance by the entire Celtics roster, to a spirited practice on Tuesday. ‘[Tuesday] in practice after showing them the film, we practiced hard,’ Rivers said. ‘And the cuts were hard. And you could see it. And you were just hoping there would be a carryover today and there was.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “What does Rivers miss most about Garnett when he’s not on the floor? His ability to quarterback the defense. ‘You can get somebody to provide energy — Luke [Harangody] plays with a lot of energy. What we miss is his voice. Kevin is the best talker on defense in the NBA, maybe in the history of the NBA. It doesn’t matter what you do. Watching our transition defense the last two games, and how awful we were, it’s clear what was missing — that guy running down the middle of the floor pointing at everyone to ‘Get over there,’ or ‘Go over there.’ We just don’t have a guy like that and you can’t replace that.’”

Frank Dell’Apa, Boston Globe – “The bench was able to stay in control in the final quarter, allowing the starters to rest. ‘They tease us about that all the time,’ Robinson said. ‘They tease the bench. They say, come on now, we don’t want to play the rest of the fourth, so we can get a little bit of rest. The bench, we try to go in every night and bring energy and play hard, take some of the slack off the starting five, because they do a tremendous job every night. The bench, we’ve got to be there, not just [last night] but every night. I think that if we continue to do that I think we’ll be a hell of a team.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “More than the points, it was Erden’s energy that Celtics coach Doc Rivers was pleased with seeing. ‘He was great,’ Rivers said. ‘You know, we needed his energy.’ But as Erden’s minutes played steadily increased – he played 33 minutes on Wednesday after playing just 31 in the previous 12 games combined – it was clear that he was, well, how did Doc put it? . . . ‘He ran out of gas,’ Rivers said. ‘There’s no doubt about that.’ But you won’t find Rivers complaining about his contributions, especially with the uncertain status of O’Neal who continues to have left knee issues. Rivers said the knee had swollen up earlier in the day, but he did not know until about an hour before tip-off that O’Neal could not play. ‘[Erden] was ready, which is the most important thing, and the other thing – it’s tough for him, because he didn’t know [he would play],’ Rivers said. ‘Hell, I didn’t know. So it’s a good job by him, especially a young player. Because most young players, they would think, ‘I’m not playing today’ and not come with the right mental approach.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “That’s exactly what Rivers wanted to see from his rookie — the 60th and final pick in the 2008 draft — and said as much before the game. ‘Energy,’ Rivers answered when asked what Erden’s game had lacked thus far. ‘He’s a good player, a young player. What he’s learning from us is that there’s a level of intensity that you have to play with on every possession, every night. He’s going to make mistakes, I don’t care about when young guys make mistakes. I care more about focus.’”

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

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

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Clog the paint. Block shots. Take charges. Help on pick-and-rolls. Roll to the basket. Switching from star duties to clean-up duties was even harder when O’Neal started the season in a shooting slump, since he wouldn’t be able to simply shoot his way out of it. Not with so many other offensive options sharing the floor. If O’Neal was going to be effective, he’d have to do it by going down that checklist. But when knee issues sidelined him for six weeks, it seemed as if O’Neal would have a way to go to live up to the mid-level exception deal the Celtics signed him to last summer. Since his return to the lineup on Christmas Day in Orlando, Fla., though, he’s embraced all the mop-and-bucket assignments. ‘It comes through time,’ O’Neal said. ‘I’m learning on the go, and I think you guys know it, and they’re trying to put me in a position to be successful.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “In the last seven games, O’Neal has scored just 46 points and pulled a mere 14 rebounds from the NBA sky. He hasn’t had an offensive rebound since Dec. 22 when Santa was carbo loading with the reindeer. It’s fair to say that 6.6 points and 2.0 rebounds is shadowy for a guy with career averages of 23.9 and 10.9, respectively. But this isn’t your father’s Shaq Daddy. … “I think he’s playing fine,” said general manager Danny Ainge. “We’re producing when he’s playing. That’s the big thing. It’s hard to look at an individual’s numbers. You have to look at the bigger picture. When a guy’s on the court, what is a team doing. And the team’s playing really well when he’s out there.’ With Tim Duncan and Matt Bonner running around, the Celts weren’t expecting Wednesday to be O’Neal’s night. ‘He’s always effective,’ said Doc Rivers. ‘It’s just that some games — like San Antonio — are going to be tough nights for him because they have two shooting bigs. The problem there is you want to keep him low, but both bigs are popping. It makes it tough for him, but he’s been great.’ … ‘No, he has a far greater impact,’ [Ray Allen] said. ‘It’s just like if I don’t score, I know I have an impact on the game because people don’t want to leave me. So there’s space. And between he and I, we both create space for Paul (Pierce) and (Rajon) Rondo to operate and Kevin (Garnett) to get open shots. You can’t measure that.’”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “‘We like our guys,’ Ainge said. ‘It’s tough. Guys like Von Wafer, Luke Harangody, Avery Bradley, we believe given an opportunity, those guys are going to be really good players.’ All have shown promise when given minutes this season. But those opportunities have been few and far between, which isn’t all that surprising when you consider the players ahead of them on the depth chart. ‘If I were with a different team, maybe I would be playing more,’ Harangody, a second-round pick in last June’s NBA draft, told CSNNE.com. ‘But every day, I get to play against guys like Kevin Garnett and Shaquille O’Neal, some of the best players to ever play the game. That can only help me down the road, to be a better NBA player.’ Bradley echoed similar sentiments to CSNNE.com. ‘These guys have been great for me,’ Bradley said. ‘The thing I love about all of my teammates, is how hard they work, everyday. My whole life, I was always better than everybody; faster, stronger. What Doc [Rivers] stresses with me, is that people at this level are going to be strong and fast, just like me. The veterans on this team do a great job of challenging me, encouraging me to just keep working, to just keep trying to get better.’”

Jessica Camerato, CSNNE – “Erden began his professional basketball in Europe when he was a teenager. This summer he played for the Turkish National Team in the 2010 FIBA Tournament, including 18 minutes in the championship game against the United States. After starting four games this season in place of Shaquille O’Neal, Erden has not played since December 22. That isn’t stopping him, though, from enjoying his rookie season in the NBA. ‘I just keep working, that’s it,’ Erden said. ‘I have to work. I have to be ready. I’m patient and wait my turn. I take my time so I can show my best. That’s it. Just work, work, work . . . [I don’t get frustrated.] I’m good because we have a lot of experienced guys. I learn everything right now and I know everything because it’s [been] like four months. I’m watching and enjoying because we won the game and everybody played good and we are teammates . . . I have a good attitude because this is a chance but I’m happy. I’m happy to be here.’”

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “Ainge called Rajon Rondo’s performance, ‘one of the best games Rondo’s ever played,’ but Ainge was more impressed by his defense against Tony Parker, than his triple-double stat line. ‘Not only did he control the game offensively — he had a lot of assists last night because Ray [Allen] was shooting the ball so well. His numbers can be deceiving. His defense against Tony Parker, he was fighting through the screens. I think the two games he played prior to that he was just out there. I don’t think he was playing 100 percent. I don’t think he could. He was just out there just to get us in our offense. It was helpful but he wasn’t playing the defense like he did.’ Ainge also noted Allen’s night, in which the veteran sharpshooter made 13-of-16 shots with many coming off the same play. ‘I don’t know who else in the league can do what Ray did last night. Just catching and shooting going away from the basket off down screens, other than guys like Reggie Miller and Dale Ellis, there really aren’t that many guys that are proficient at it.’”

Brandon Lawrence, WEEI – “Through the 22 assists and the triple-double, I think you can make a case that the most amazing thing was his block last night. [Doc Rivers replied,] ‘To me, not only the most amazing, but the most important thing was that he took shots down the stretch. I’ve said this before, as good as he’s playing and we’re playing right now at times, it’s a different game in the playoffs. The one area that Rondo has to improve in, and he’s really worked on, and you saw that improvement last night, is the elbow jump shot. We know, during the playoffs, that’s what everyone’s going to force him to do, and everyone’s going to help on Ray [Allen] to take those shots off of Rondo, and if Rondo can make those shots, then we’re really good.”

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

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

You mean he hasn't retired already?

Mike Wells, Indy Star – “Once he hangs up his sneakers for good, which could happen next summer, Boston Celtics forward Jermaine O’Neal wants to retire with the team that helped him become an All-Star. O’Neal, who is out with a knee injury, said he wants to retire as an Indiana Pacer. ‘Just because I’m not there anymore doesn’t mean all the memories are forgotten,’ O’Neal said. ‘If it wasn’t for the Pacers, the organization and the community, nobody would have probably known who I was. Anywhere in the world I go, they know me because of my Pacers days.’ … O’Neal, 32, said he’ll think about retiring next summer if the Celtics, who have the second-best record in the NBA, win the title this season.”

Gary Washburn, Boston Globe – “Davis is going to bring quirkiness and a fun-loving personality to the table, but his work ethic is unquestioned. He said he took 5,000 shots a day on those sweltering days in Las Vegas, and Rivers nodded in approval. ‘Baby, he doesn’t have long arms, and if you remember his first two years, he struggles finishing and still does,’ Rivers said. ‘Today he caught Hibbert a couple of times under the basket and couldn’t get to the basket. We just told him to take 1,000 shots a day and your game will be from the elbows and the corners. We need you to be efficient offensively and you will be with your jump shot. And he has been.’”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “The compliment gets thrown in his direction fairly often and it’s almost always sincere, especially when delivered by those who have observed all the greats: Paul Pierce is the best scorer in Boston Celtics history. And that’s saying something considering the likes of John Havlicek and Larry Bird have worn the jersey. But Pierce wouldn’t mind someday being regarded as one of the most complete players in Celtics history. On Sunday against the Indiana Pacers, he gave the latest example of why he deserves to be in the conversation. … ‘He’s the chameleon,’ said Celtics coach Doc Rivers, a fitting description of a player who has spent his entire 13-year career in green, but found ways to adapt to those around him. ‘We would rather, honestly, have him in scoring mode all the time. But with this team, especially with the injuries, he’s been a phenomenal utility player for us.’”

Steve Bulpett, Boston Herald – “‘I’ve known that for seven years,’ the coach said of the Pierce luxury. ‘He’s a great guy to have on your team because he does so many things. I think people just look at him as a scorer, and he really . . . his IQ, he’s a very smart basketball player.’ Pierce just shrugged. ‘Like I’ve told you guys before, I just try to give the game what it needs,’ he said. ‘I just try to do the things that are necessary for this ballclub to win.’ OK, so what’s more difficult — producing a triple-double or making it sound like just another day at the office?”

A. Sherrod Blakely, CSNNE – “That level of maturity, maybe more than anything else, speaks to how Pierce’s game has evolved over the years from being a big-time scorer to an all-around player that can help the C’s in multiple ways. ‘Paul discovered a long time ago the kind of player he wants to be,’ said Pacers coach Jim O’Brien, who coached Pierce for three years in Boston. ‘He wanted to be one of the best in the world, and he is. Nothing he does surprises me.’ … ‘Great player’ was how O’Neal describe Pierce, whose nickname ‘the Truth’ was given to him by O’Neal. ‘One of the leaders on this team. Passes the ball when necessary, shoots the ball when necessary, plays defense when necessary. He looked good out there.’”

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “‘I want him to stay Nate and be aggressive,’ Rivers said. ‘That’s one of the reasons we’ve given the ball to Paul so he can stay aggressive and try to score.’ This is how it works. The Celtics start the game with Robinson handling the ball and running the offense. If the other team pressures him fullcourt, the Celtics give it to Pierce. If they try to pressure Pierce, it falls on Ray Allen to bring the ball up the court. The Celtics had six turnovers in the first quarter and 18 in the game, which was one of the few things that kept them from blowing out the Pacers, while shooting 54 percent. So, Rivers left it to Pierce to run the offense. ‘He helps Nate,’ Rivers said. ‘He does what Delonte [West] was doing in some ways. Nate’s a good basketball player. He’s been terrific for us. He’s not a pure point guard. There’s thing that he can see and there’s things that he can’t see and you try to keep him out of those positions.’”

Paul Flannery, WEEI – “Jermaine O’Neal is getting closer. Really. He went through practice on Saturday and if all goes well on Tuesday (the Celtics are off Monday), there’s a chance he’ll be able to play Wednesday. Erden is battling a groin injury and a shoulder that hurts him more than he has let on. Rivers didn’t think he would be able to play against the Pacers, but he gave them seven minutes. ‘Semih is not feeling well,’ Rivers said before the game. ‘He is going to play but I don’t know how much he’s going to play. At this point [Saturday] we thought he wasn’t playing and then today he said he was fine. So we’ll see.’”

Julian Benbow, Boston Globe – “Shaquille O’Neal returned to the lineup yesterday, but it doesn’t guarantee that he’ll play Wednesday against Philadelphia. O’Neal played 21 minutes in yesterday’s 99-88 win, giving the Celtics 11 points and five rebounds (along with five fouls), after sitting out four games because of a sore right calf. ‘It’s kind of sore, but I’ll just take it easy and just try to strengthen the area,’ O’Neal said. Even though Semih Erden played seven minutes, he was hampered by a pulled groin, which meant that without O’Neal the Celtics’ options at center would have been slim.”

Chris Forsberg, ESPN Boston – “Glen Davis scored a game-high 18 points (matching the output of Pierce and Robinson) while logging nearly 35 minutes off the bench, but said after the game his back is sore and that he planned to be examined by Lacerte to ensure it’s nothing serious. Davis didn’t think he’d miss any time, but sported a big bandage while sitting on the bench and again in the locker room. ‘I’m not sitting out,’ Davis said. ‘I don’t know what happened. I just woke up this morning and my back was hurting. I’ve got to find out from Ed. They’re going to examine me and make sure I’m OK, but I can play. It’s another bruise, something like a hangnail.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “The Pacers boasted one of the NBA’s bright young big men in Roy Hibbert, and the 7-footer acquitted himself well with 17 points, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots. But this was an ornery Shaq on the floor yesterday. ‘I don’t have any impression,’ O’Neal said of Hibbert. ‘(My) only impression of anyone is Blake Griffin (of the Los Angeles Clippers). Other than that, I don’t have anything to say about anybody. Blake Griffin is the truth. All these other guys — I’m not impressed. As a 7-footer, (Hibbert is) putting up double digits. He’s supposed to do that. Show me something different for me to raise my eyebrows.’ The Pacers are more easily impressed. After watching the Celtics build on the NBA’s longest active winning streak, Danny Granger gained a little more perspective on the rest of the league. The Pacers have scored some big wins this season, including road victories over Miami and the Lakers. ‘I think the Celtics are more talented than those other teams across the board,’ Granger said. ‘They probably have 40 years of All-Star Games between them. They’re more talented than those teams. They’re more tied in defensively,’ he said. ‘Even offensively they really know how to play with each other. So I think that’s the best team right now.’”

Jessica Camerato, CSNNE – “[T.J.] Ford has been there to give him support during the learning process. One of his biggest points of emphasis to Bradley is understanding that the hard work he puts in now will pay off in the long run. ‘He usually always texts me after every game and tries to motivate me because he knows that I don’t play that much being on the Celtics,’ said Bradley. ‘He just tells me to learn as much as I can. He always says the same thing, like, ‘I know that you’re not playing that much, just learn as much as you can. You have a great team.’ Everything he says has something to do with that.’”

Mike Wells, Indy Star – “‘They’re so tied in together,’ Pacers forward Danny Granger said of the Celtics. ‘They can be beat, but you have to play a near perfect game. We missed a lot of shots, but we missed a lot of shots because they were in our face. They’re a good defensive team.’ The Pacers attempted a season-high 96 shots and had 16 offensive rebounds, but they couldn’t take advantage of the extra possessions. They shot 35.4 percent from the field, their second-worst shooting game of the season. ‘They’re a great defensive team. They always have been,’ Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said about the Celtics. ‘We missed some quality looks. They really work to get their hands up. Roy (Hibbert) had a lot of 16-footers. I think he made one.’”

Mark Murphy, Boston Herald – “O’Brien sees no reason why Walker can’t make it back to the NBA despite roughly a two-year absence. ‘It depends on how the scouts evaluate him,’ said O’Brien. ‘If his skill set is still there, if he can still stretch the defense, if he’s in good enough condition, and teams down the stretch are looking for a veteran presence, someone who can play the game, then sure. He can still play the game. I don’t know what his conditioning level is, but I don’t think it’s ever too late — if you’re in shape.’ Asked about Walker, 34, shooting a vintage 6-for-12 from 3-point range, O’Brien laughed and said, ‘It doesn’t surprise me that he took 12. It’s good to know that he made six.’”

Jessica Camerato, CSNNE – “The last time Allen shot 1-for-6 from beyond the arc, he finished with just nine points. Sunday’s performance was the most points he has scored all season when only making one three-point shot. ‘I just had to go to the hole,’ Allen said. ‘I missed a couple shots that seemed like they were right on, but I did sense the urgency to take me off the three-point ball. So when I was coming up, I was just trying to get to the hole because there were gaps there.’ Allen provided one of the highlights of the game with a fastbreak layup that froze Mike Dunleavy in his tracks. While the play was something typical of a speedy point guard, it was part of Allen’s plan of attack. ‘It’s just, I’m not the guy that always has the ball in his hands,’ he said. ‘I’m known for what I’ve been doing while in this role. But my whole career, I’ve had to create opportunities for myself, be a playmaker for other guys on the team, try to get other guys involved. I don’t have to do that as much this year. (Rajon) Rondo is a guy who is the creator here on the team, but we still have to be able to make plays with each other.’”

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