ESPN

When Rajon Rondo helped the Boston Celtics to victory over the Charlotte Bobcats Sunday, it was the first time in exactly two years he had played a game without any member of Boston's Big Three (Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen) alongside. As ESPN Stats and Info originally noted, Rondo is 4-1 in those games. Here's a closer look at his performances and the outcomes:


Rondo certainly seems to have played with a little extra motivation in those most recent games. Sure, each occurrence has been near the end of the season (his own minutes limited in a 2009 game against Washington), but Rondo has upped his scoring output whenever he's logged 30+ minutes. Clearly, the Celtics like having a fully healthy roster, but Rondo's exploits are an encouraging sign of his potential even if the roster is overhauled for future seasons.

Despite all of Rajon Rondo's individual success, it always seems to come with an asterisk: "Well, he's playing with three Hall of Famers." Fair or not, it's always there. Like during the playoffs last year when (since departed) Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni opined on Rondo, "I'd like to see him play in Minnesota and see how he does. Everybody's tied together and [the Celtics] have three Hall of Famers playing out there."

Not on Sunday they didn't. The Celtics left Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce behind in Manhattan for some additional rest after Saturday's win in New Jersey and Ray Allen remained in Boston and missed his fourth game with right ankle soreness. That meant for only the fifth time in Rondo's career -- and for the first time in exactly two years -- he took the floor without any member of the Big Three alongside him Sunday in Charlotte.

All he did was put up 20 points, 16 assists, 6 rebounds and a steal over 43:14 while pacing Boston to a 94-82 win over the Bobcats.

Oh sure, D'Antoni would rush to note it was 7-win Charlotte on the other side and that Rondo turned the ball over a whopping 8 times. The fact remains that the Celtics hardly missed a beat without three of their top players. Avery Bradley and Brandon Bass (22 points apiece) were Rondo's chief beneficiaries as the team capped a game-heavy stretch with a win that brings Boston one step closer to locking up the Atlantic Division title and the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

"I thought Rondo was sensational," Celtics coach Doc Rivers told reporters in Charlotte. "He led, and he didn't want to come out."

(Read full post)

Rapid reaction after the Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 94-82 Sunday evening at Time Warner Cable Arena:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON
Killer B's Avery Bradley and Brandon Bass each chipped in a game-high 22 points, but it was Rajon Rondo -- operating without the Big Three -- who barely left the floor (43:14) while registering 20 points, 16 assists and 6 rebounds to pace the Celtics past the hapless Bobcats. Gerald Henderson scored 22 points for the Bobcats.

TURNING POINT
When the Celtics showed up? If only that were true for Boston. Even without the Big Three, this one should have been easier than it was against the seven-win Bobcats. It was a four-point game with under six minutes to play when the Celtics got moving in transition and Rondo fed Bradley for a 3-pointer from the right corner, which is quickly becoming his sweet spot. Bass added a mid-range jumper -- speaking of sweet spot -- the next trip down and Boston led 81-74 with 5:38 to play. Mickael Pietrus added a trifecta and Rondo a driving layup as the lead ballooned to 12 soon after.

BOLD PLAY OF THE GAME
Greg Stiemsma, starting in place of Kevin Garnett, matched his career high (set in his NBA debut in New Orleans) with six blocked shots, the final of which was an emphatic denial of a driving Bismack Biyombo in the third quarter. Stiemsma even stood there mean-mugging Biyombo a bit as Bradley chased down the rebound. Biyombo did get a bit of revenge, rejecting a Bass layup attempt at the other end just seconds later. Regardless, the rejection king on this night was Stiemsma, who swatted both Biyombo and Henderson twice in the win.

RONDO'S STREAK ROLLS ON
Maybe it's perfunctory at this point, but Rondo's double-digit assist streak reached 22 games in Charlotte. Heck, Rondo had 12 points and 7 assists at the end of the first quarter. For those who wondered how Rondo would fare without the Big Three alongside, the answers was a resounding "just fine."

WHAT IT MEANS
Despite the opening night stumble in Toronto, the Celtics wrapped up their lone back-to-back-to-back of the season at 2-1 and will gladly take it. Garnett and Paul Pierce got to enjoy an extended weekend in Manhattan; Ray Allen got to rest his sore right ankle back home; and Boston emerged from the trip with a four-game lead in the Atlantic Division with a chance to essentially wrap up the No. 4 seed with a win Tuesday in New York. What's more, those pesky Raptors took down Atlanta, giving Boston a ½-game edge over the Hawks as the two jockey for the better overall record (and thus home-court advantage) in a potential 4-5 matchup between the two teams. All in all, a solid trip for Boston. The Celtics get one day to catch their breath before playing the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Celtics forwards Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett did not make the trip to Charlotte for Sunday's finale of a back-to-back-to-back against the Bobcats, according to the team.

With Ray Allen still out due to soreness in his right ankle (he'll miss his fourth straight game Sunday), the Celtics will have no members of their Big Three present. Garnett appears to have been a planned rest situation given the recent grind of games, while Pierce stubbed his toe during Saturday's win in New Jersey and the team is likely erring on the side of caution against a hapless opponent.

Greg Stiemsma and Mickael Pietrus are expected to jump into the starting lineup.

Garnett and Pierce will get plenty of rest before the team plays next Tuesday night in New York.

The Boston Celtics (35-25, 14-16 away) reach the finish line of their lone back-to-back-to-back sprint of the season on Sunday night with a visit to the Charlotte Bobcats (7-51, 4-23 home) at Time Warner Cable Arena (6 p.m., CSN). While the Celtics clinched a playoff berth Saturday night, the Bobcats need at least one more victory to avoid finishing with the worst winning percentage in NBA history. To preview the matchup, we play a a game of 2-on-2 with colleague Greg Payne.

---

1. What will you be looking for when the Celtics visit the Bobcats?

Payne: I'm actually really curious to see what Doc Rivers does with his rotations tonight. Is he going to hold guys out entirely, given it being the final night of the back-to-back-to-back? Will he place some sort of minute restriction on some of his older veterans like Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett? It's difficult to get a read on the situation, because so far this weekend, Rivers hasn't really hinted at any one particular strategy. While I thought we surely were not going to see Pierce and Garnett tonight a few days ago, it honestly wouldn't shock me at all if they were both in the starting lineup against the Bobcats tonight. At the same time, given that they are the Bobcats and the C's locked up a postseason birth on Saturday night, and that there are a slew of more difficult opponents on tap next week, I can totally see Rivers choosing rest over rhythm tonight.

Forsberg: It's all about rest with this one. While Boston starters played fairly reasonable minutes Saturday night, it's hard to imagine Rivers won't try to make this an easy night for them. With a comfortable 3½-game cushion atop the Atlantic Division and a likely insurmountable 3-game deficit in trying to catch the Indiana Pacers for the No. 3 seed, there seems little reason to push hard for this one -- particularly given that the Celtics can likely contend without the varsity lineup. It was fun watching the rookies like JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore get some late-game burn against the Nets, why not give them a full half (or more?) to play and let the veterans rest up with a potential Atlantic-clinching battle with the New York Knicks looming Tuesday.

(Read full post)

Rapid reaction after the Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 102-95 Monday night at Time Warner Cable Arena:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON
Paul Pierce (game-high 36 points on 10-of-20 shooting) and Kevin Garnett (24 points on 10-of-20 shooting) put the Celtics on their backs, particularly with the bench struggling to provide much in the way of production, and carried the team to a rare win on the second night of a back-to-back on the road (only Boston's second of the season). Rajon Rondo chipped in 7 points and 13 assists, while Brandon Bass added 15 points and 5 rebounds as the starters carried the load. Avery Bradley kicked in 11 points while starting in place of Ray Allen. For Charlotte, Gerald Henderson had a team-high 21 points, but Byron Mullens might have been the biggest pest, chipping in 18 points and 7 rebounds to spark the Bobcats' ridiculous bench effort (59 points for Charlotte reserves; 36 for its starters).

TURNING POINT
After letting the Bobcats back into the game with a lifeless second quarter, the Celtics owned only a 2-point lead coming out of the intermission. Boston cranked up the defensive intensity, denying Charlotte a field goal over the first 3:19 of the third quarter, and Pierce and Bradley carried the team offensively, pushing the lead to 11 in less than two minutes. The Bobcats never got closer than two possessions the rest of the way (even if the lead did sink to four in the final minutes).

BOLD PLAY OF THE GAME
The Celtics punctuated a stellar first quarter with an alley-oop lob from Rondo to newcomer Ryan Hollins on the break. Rondo hauled in a rebound and got out front (two Charlotte players had collided under the hoop) and Hollins sprinted down the right sideline before swooping along the baseline and throwing down Rondo's feed from the top of the arc. The bucket pushed Boston's lead to 33-15 after one.

RONDO SETS CAREER-HIGH ASSIST STREAK
With his 10th straight game with double-digit assists, Rondo established a career high (topping a streak of nine straight he set during the 2010-11 season, according to Elias Sports Bureau). Rondo continued to struggle a bit with his shot -- missing six of seven attempts -- but quarterbacked a solid game and turned the ball over just three times, all while chipping in 6 rebounds and 2 steals and making 5-of-8 attempts at the charity stripe. Speaking of which...

CELTICS BENEFIT AT CHARITY STRIPE
Sparked by Pierce, the Celtics were as aggressive as they've been this season in attacking the basket and reaped the reward of a season-high 45 free throw attempts, making a season-high 34. Boston's previous highs were making 29 of 34 attempts in a loss to Oklahoma City last month. Pierce was spectacular, getting to the stripe a whopping 18 times (making 15) as part of his monster night.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
Celtics coach Doc Rivers leads NBA coaches with eight technical fouls this season, but Paul Silas isn't going to let him pull away from the pack. Charlotte's helmsman picked up his seventh technical foul of the season Monday and is right on Rivers' heels. Greg Stiemsma picked up his second technical of the month -- a questionable one at best -- for something he said after fouling Derrick Brown while defending a dunk attempt.

C'S TIED ATOP THE ATLANTIC
Don't look now, but the Celtics (27-22) are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers atop the Atlantic Division with 17 games to go in the regular season. There's one head-to-head matchup remaining in Boston next month and Philly already owns the tie-breaker, so there's still work to be done, but the Celtics are at least giving themselves a chance to win the division title and secure that coveted No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. At the moment, the Celtics own the No. 7 seed and have work to do to catch the Hawks in front of them.

WHAT IT MEANS
You don't get any sort of bonus for style points, so the Celtics will take another uglier-than-it-needed-to-be triumph against a hapless opponent. The Bobcats erupted for 60 points over the middle quarters, including a bench-sparked 35-point second, thanks in large part to Boston's defensive indifference (falling victim to an early lead for the second straight night). When engaged at the start and end of the game, Boston dominated an inferior opponent, which allowed it to emerge with its second straight victory. The Celtics get a couple of days back home with a visit from the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.

BOSTON -- Rapid reaction after the Boston Celtics defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 94-84 Tuesday night at TD Garden:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON
Paul Pierce didn't just shuffle past Larry Bird into second place on the Celtics' all-time leading scorer list, he flirted with a triple-double in registering 15 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists over nearly 37 minutes, finishing plus-26 in plus/minus to propel Boston. Kevin Garnett produced 10-of-15 shooting for a team-high 22 points to go along with seven rebounds over 26:37. Rajon Rondo kicked in a double-double (10 points, 14 assists), while Ray Allen (17 points) and Brandon Bass (13 points) dabbled in double figures.

PIERCE'S MILESTONE MOMENT
Pierce leapfrogged Larry Legend with a 3-pointer from the right wing with 10:23 to go in the third quarter. For more on the moment, including footage of the team's video tribute, hop HERE.

TURNING POINT
Right after Pierce's moment, the Bobcats still were within four points. Things didn't stay close very long. Garnett buried a signature 22-footer, Pierce added a fast-break layup and Allen followed with a 3-pointer -- all in a 1:17 span -- as Boston pushed its lead to 11 (59-48) with 6:43 to go in the frame.

KG MISSES A 3-POINTER!
After his hilarious rant following Sunday's game about his 3-point shooting prowess -- this on the heels of making three trifectas in three games -- Garnett finally misfired on a triple Tuesday night, missing from the top of the arc on a second-quarter attempt.

WHAT IT MEANS
The Celtics own a season-high five-game winning streak and have won nine of their last 10 overall. A nationally televised showdown looms Thursday night when the rival Los Angeles Lakers visit the Garden to cap a five-game homestand. Boston didn't play its most inspired ball Tuesday, but the three-win Bobcats weren't likely to pull that out of them. Bottom line: They got the win, Pierce got his milestone and that's all the Celtics could ask for.

BOSTON -- Celtics rookie center Greg Stiemsma admitted nerves kicked up a bit when he learned that the deadline for contracts to go guaranteed essentially was Tuesday evening (it actually occurs Friday, but due to the waiver process, players needed to be released before tip-off on Tuesday).

Stiemsma, the only Celtics player whose contract was not fully guaranteed for the season, didn't get an official call (heck, coach Doc Rivers admitted even he didn't know that Tuesday was the key date), but the fact that his jersey was still hanging in his locker stall before Tuesday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats bode well for him.

"It feels real good. It's a satisfying feeling," Stiemsma said. "Any little stuff like that can give you a little boost during the season. I don’t get caught up in that business side too much. But I do enjoy the positives when they come, so it feels good."

Rivers, who raved about the chemistry of this year's team, said Stiemsma not only contributes to that positive vibe, but has the skill to be an impact player.

"He can play," Rivers said. "That’s the main thing. If he couldn’t play but was a great guy, we’d probably send him on his way. But he can actually play and he’s a big guy that can play. And we’re just hoping we can keep developing him to make him a better player."

A couple of other quick hits from pregame:

* Top reserve Brandon Bass is back in the lineup after sitting out Sunday's game with a sore right knee. He noted he began feeling discomfort in Friday's win over the Knicks and underwent some tests to ease his mind. "I had some discomfort in the knee, so we checked it out just to make sure everything was all right. And now I’m back," Bass said. With a hectic game schedule in this compressed season, Bass said he's aware that he has to take care of his body to withstand the grind.

* Rivers didn't have an exact timeline for the potential return of reserve guard Keyon Dooling (right hip pointer, sore right knee) but was hopeful that it would come in the near future. "I don’t know if he’s close, but [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] thought in a week or so," Rivers said. "He thought he had a chance. Bottom line, [Lacerte] thought he had a chance before the All-Star break to make it back, so that was good news."

The Boston Celtics (13-10, 9-6 home) own three four-game winning streaks this season and will look to get over that fifth-game hump Tuesday night when the Charlotte Bobcats (3-21, 1-13 away) visit TD Garden (7:30 p.m., CSN). To preview the matchup, we go 3-on-3 with ESPN Boston's Greg Payne and CelticsHub's Brian Robb.

---

1. Paul Pierce will almost certainly pass Larry Bird on the list of Celtics' all-time scorers Tuesday. Just how important has Pierce been to this team this season?

Payne: Pierce has been the team's most important player, especially in the last two or three weeks. He kept the Celtics afloat and eventually helped them thrive while Rajon Rondo was out, and he's continued to help carry them offensively, even with Rondo now back in the fold. Without Pierce, things would be a heck of a lot bleaker in Boston right now.

Robb: For the importance of Pierce, you need to look no further than the C's record this season. They started 0-3 without him, struggled through a 5-6 stretch as Pierce struggled to work himself into shape after the heel injury. Over Boston's past 10 games however, The Truth has done it all for this team, averaging 22.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists, 1.4 steals per game all while shooting over 40 percent from downtown. He also wore the point forward hat for eight of those ten games without Rajon Rondo sidelined. The C's have gone 8-2 over that stretch, and should have been 9-1 barring a final minute meltdown against the Cavs. So has Pierce been very important? I'd say he's the team's MVP far and away.

Forsberg: I just keep going back to Pierce's insane PER (player efficiency rating) of 21.6, easily his highest of the Big Three era and top 25 in the league despite the fact that he really struggled over the first three weeks of the season. Pierce is carrying this team as if he's got Raef LaFrentz and Ricky Davis next to him (like he did when he had a career best PER of 23.6 during the 2005-06 season). Every time that "Who's the most important of the Big Three" debate comes up, I don't know if we give Pierce enough credit. At least this year, there's no argument for anyone besides the captain.

(Read full post)

After the Celtics' dreadful loss to the Bobcats, coach Doc Rivers had nothing to say to his team, but lots to say to the media -- none of it good:

--RIVERS 'SHOCKED' BY CELTICS' ATTITUDE AND PLAY--

Celtics coach Doc Rivers acknowledged Friday that he probably screams more than most would imagine, but needing to motivate his team yet again, he decided against reaching into the toolbox for the "angry" folder after the Celtics endured their most embarrassing loss of the season with a pathetic effort in an 83-81 defeat to the Charlotte Bobcats at TD Garden. Instead, Rivers said he walked into the locker room, told his troops the practice time for Saturday, then left them to their own devices. He saved his harshest words for the interview room, knowing full well the message will find its way back to his players without him having to shout in their faces. How the Celtics respond this time is almost completely on the players.

BOSTON -- The Boston Celtics are built to overcome a poor performance from one player.

But when the team, as a whole, is guilty of the recent issues that have been plaguing Boston -- a noticeable lack of ball movement, a subpar level of intensity, poor execution down the stretch, playing down to lesser teams -- the losses begin to pile up. Such was the case in Friday's 83-81 defeat at the hands of the 29-42 Charlotte Bobcats, in which the Celtics rode cruise control for the vast majority of the game and failed to switch back into gear when Charlotte clawed all the way back from what was a 13-point deficit in the waning minutes.

But just like one player cannot be blamed for the current woes the Celtics are fighting through, one player alone cannot pull the Celtics out of them. It will take a collective effort to fix the collective problems.

"It has to come from all of us," Paul Pierce said. "One player can come out here and say it and "hoo-rah" around the locker room, but it has to come from everybody. We're all veterans, we've all been here before, and we all know what it takes. It's got to come from each individual to take a look in the mirror, and look inside and decide if that's what they want to do. We can talk about it every day, but until we look at ourselves in the mirror, that's what it's going to be."

(Read full post)

BOSTON -- A collection of news and notes after the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Boston Celtics 83-81 Friday night at TD Garden:

The Rundown: West's Ankle Not-So-Swell | More Struggles for Krstic | Layup Line



Celtics guard Delonte West wraps up nine months of house arrest Saturday morning. He only wishes his six-month stint under injury arrest would terminate as well.

West's ailing right ankle, which forced him to miss eight games spanning into March, swelled on him after an intense workout session Thursday and, despite additional treatment, left him hobbled during Friday's loss to the Bobcats.

West misfired on five of his six shots while registering just two points and one assist over 18:11.

"I keep trying to downplay it, I’ve had a sprained ankle before, it normally take 2, 3 days and you're back in action," said West, who has appeared in Boston's last six games after missing 39 contests due to a fractured right wrist. "I've got a chipped bone in [the ankle] and I think I kind of overdid it a little bit in practice [Thursday]. I was going super hard and the ankle swelled back up on me.

"I did two hours this morning of treatment. I didn’t shoot around before the game, just two to three hours of treatment, just to get ready. I said once I step on the court, there is no excuses. I’m still going to play defense, but with my shot, I noticed that it was all in the takeoff and the landing. It was throwing my shot off. That last play I felt like I barely left the ground."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers wanted to keep West in the game because of his energy, but also didn't want to risk his health.

"That was a tough one for me," said Rivers. "I looked at [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] and he was [on the fence], so I just didn't want to take the chance. That was on me."

West sat out the final 7:15, but said he plans to be back on the floor when the Celtics visit the Minnesota Timberwolves Sunday night. West might even have a bit of motivation after the Timberwolves traded for him, then promptly waived him this offseason, setting up his return to Boston.

West will actually travel to the D.C. area Saturday morning to end the house arrest process with his legal team, then fly to Minnesota to meet his teammates. Having already missed 57 games this season, he's ready to put the injury bug in his past, even if he has to do it by simply ignoring the pain that has lingered.

"I should be good to go next game," said West. "I said no more excuses. This is going to be the last time you hear about the ankle from me.”

(Read full post)

BOSTON -- Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers scolded his team for its effort in Friday’s head-shaking 83-81 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.

“The way we’re playing shocks me,” Rivers said. “Our attitude shocks me. We’re just not ready to win any games right now the way we play, the way our approach is to basketball games. I told them that with about five minutes left. I said, ‘If we win great, you find your own way.’

“Right now, I just think we’ve become very, very selfish. Not as far as trying to get our own, but everything is about how we’re playing individually instead of how the team is playing. You can see it, a guy struggles, he pouts, he moans. Everything is ‘me, me, me’ on our team right now, feeling sorry for themselves instead of giving themselves to the team and playing.

“You can just see it manifest throughout the team. Until we can get through that we will continue to have results like we had tonight. Clearly we should have won the game. I thought the starting unit in particular came in casual in the fourth quarter, assuming they were going to win the game -- no urgency. Then, all of the sudden, when the game got [to a 1-point contest], their butts got tight. When you [don’t have] that 11-point lead, the shots aren’t easy anymore. I always say it, ‘You screw around with the game, and the game will screw around with you.’ Either I’m doing a terrible job getting to them or right now they just aren’t there. I don’t know why. It’s my job to figure it out though.”

Friday's loss to the 29-42 Bobcats came on the heels of a 90-87 loss to the Grizzlies on Wednesday at the Garden.

Rivers dismissed the idea that the recent struggles in any way resemble last season's sleepwalking through the final months of the regular season, when star players were shut down because of injuries.

“Nothing like this," Rivers said. "Last year I shut them down. They were injured. They’re not injured. They’re not playing well."

Asked if his players were bored, Rivers agreed before quietly adding, "And last year, we lost Game 7 on the road.”

BOSTON -- Rapid reaction after the Charlotte Bobcats defeated the Boston Celtics 83-81 Friday night at TD Garden:

HOW THE GAME WAS WON
DJ White scored a team-high 17 points off the Charlotte bench, while Gerald Henderson chipped in 15 more as the Bobcats overcame a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to absolutely stun the Celtics. Paul Pierce scored a team-high 18 points, but both Ray Allen (14 points) and Kevin Garnett (12 points, 9 rebounds) missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds with Boston trying to win the game on its final possession.

TURNING POINT
The Bobcats clawed within five with little more than three minutes to play in the third quarter, but Boston closed out the frame on an 8-0 burst, highlighted by six straight points from Glen Davis. Rajon Rondo's end-to-end dash for a last-second layup put Boston up 66-53 heading to the final quarter and that should have been enough in an offensively anemic game, but...

Charlotte embarked on a 16-0 run to erase an 11-point deficit and pull ahead, 80-75, with 2:48 to go. That forced Boston to rally back, but Dante Cunningham's wide-open 13-foot jumper after a Pierce fly-by gave the Bobcats an 82-81 lead with 33.9 seconds to go and proved to be the winner.

STAT OF THE GAME
The Celtics connected on a mere 6-of-19 shots (31.6 percent) in the fourth quarter and were doubled up in points by the Bobcats, 30-15.

UNSUNG HERO
Cunningham not only provided the winning jumper, but he scrambled for a monster block on Garnett in the final minutes, preventing a bucket that could have helped Boston escape with this win.

WHAT IT MEANS
Zzzzzzzzz... Oh, hey, didn't see you there. This one was snooze-worthy for the first 3½ quarters and only got interesting when the Celtics fumbled away the big fourth-quarter lead as the Bobcats surged ahead late. Fans rained down with jeers in the fourth quarter, then stomped to the exits after perhaps the most lackluster performance by Boston this season (and bringing back foul memories from last season's Garden snoozers). Yet again, the Celtics' offense sputtered and, despite building a rare early cushion, Boston let this one slip away in the final 12 when the starters should have been laughing it up to Gino.

BOSTON -- Celtics reserve forward Troy Murphy hobbled through the locker room before Friday's game against the Charlotte Bobcats sporting a walking boot after rolling his right ankle during Thursday's practice.

"That’s why we should never practice," sighed Celtics coach Doc Rivers, only half joking, before acknowledging that boots are en vogue with his team lately. "If you have a wart, I think you put a boot on these days. Literally, everybody has a boot; I’m going to get one."

Murphy joins Shaquille O'Neal (right foot injuries) and Von Wafer (right calf sprain) as injured players that have been forced to sport a boot recently. Murphy will sit out Friday's game against Charlotte and be re-evaluated moving forward.

As for O'Neal, Rivers acknowledged he received a cortisone shot earlier this week and said he's been placed back in the immobilizing boot as a measure to help speed up his recovery by reducing the inflammation that occurred when he tried to ramp up his activity last week.

"I don't know if it's precautionary, because he's always been injured," said Rivers. "I just think [Boston's training staff is] trying to speed it up, more than it is getting worse. Honestly, I don't get involved in it. I just know they decided to do it, to put a boot on it.

"I don't think it's a setback because we haven't had a set. We haven't really set a date when he was coming back. Talking to [team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] again, he still thinks it's around a week or so. I've been saying a week now for three weeks, but I don't think it's changed any."

Rivers also acknowledged that Jermaine O'Neal (left knee surgery) will rejoin the team Monday in Indiana then engage in his first team basketball activities during an offday practice on Wednesday in San Antonio.

Rivers said Wafer will not play Friday against Charlotte or Sunday in Minnesota, but there's a chance he will join the Celtics on the upcoming four-game road trip given his speedy return to the practice court Thursday. But Rivers stressed that he still believes Wafer is a ways out from game activity.