The Boston Celtics: Even More Injured Now

The Celtics left Miami last night staring down an imposing 0-2 hole against the Heat, and their players battered and bruised. The Boston Herald reports: “With Paul Pierce and Ray Allen already banged up, the last thing the Celtics needed was a hobbled Rajon Rondo. But in the fourth quarter of last night’s 102-91 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, Rondo was laid out on the baseline getting stretched by trainer Bryan Doo. Rondo was hampered by a back injury that began bothering him yesterday morning. He wore a wrap around his midsection during the team’s morning shootaround, which he said kept his back warm. While Rondo downplayed the use of the wrap, it reappeared during last night’s game … The extended three-day break between Games 2 and 3 should benefit Paul Pierce, who strained his left Achilles tendon [last night]. Pierce felt pain in the area when he came down in the first quarter. He left the game midway through the first quarter and retreated to the locker room with trainer Ed Lacerte. Pierce returned with 7:41 left in the second quarter. He finished with 13 points in 32 minutes. ‘I’m day-to-day right now,’ Pierce said. ‘I have a strain in my Achilles. I’m just going to see how it feels the next couple of days.'”