Oh No! Pierce Out Indefinitely

[Josh Farber <joshfarber@home.com>]

This is just about the worst time for PIerce to be out, with this big
road trip the Celtics are on.

They said it will be a while before he comes back!

Pierce sprains ankle and is out indefinitely 


By Joe Burris, Globe Staff, 12/12/99 


ALTHAM - The Celtics yesterday were less than two hours from embarking
on a pivotal road trip when misfortune struck: Leading scorer Paul
Pierce suffered a sprained left ankle during a scrimmage toward the end
of practice and is out indefinitely.


Trainer Ed Lacerte called Pierce's injury a ''moderate sprain,'' but the
guard was not expected to travel with the Celtics to New York, where
they will play the Knicks tonight at 7.


The only team in the NBA that has managed a winning record (10-8)
despite just one road win, Boston will play four of its next five
contests away from home and today will look to snap a 13-game streak of
Madison Square Garden losses - the second-longest road losing streak to
a single foe in Celtics history.


But ending that skein will be difficult without the services of Pierce,
who is averaging 19 points, 6.1 rebounds, and a team-high 35.1 minutes a
game.


''I think he's going to be out a while,'' said coach Rick Pitino.
''Pervis [Ellison] was trying to draw a charge on him, and he rolled it.


''He's the one person [whose loss] hurts the most because he plays a
great deal, he gives us a lot defensively, a lot rebounding-wise, and
great scoring. It hurts, but unfortunately injuries are a part of this
game.''


Pitino said Pierce will spend the next few days trying to get the
swelling down. ''In about four or five days,'' said the coach, ''we'll
see where he's at.''


Pierce will likely miss Tuesday's contest at Cleveland, too. After that,
the Celtics host Utah Wednesday before playing at San Antonio Friday and
Houston Saturday.


The coach, who rendered a few heavy sighs as he spoke about the injury,
said he had not yet penciled in a replacement. 


''It's something we'll have to talk about,'' he said. ''This just
happened.''


Pierce was not made available for comment after practice.


It is Pierce's first injury since he missed two games last season with a
sprained right ankle. He has started in all 18 games this season, most
recently submitting a 19-point, 7-rebound effort against Houston Friday.
He is tied with teammate Adrian Griffin for third place in the NBA in
steals (2.17 a game).


Kenny Anderson remembers the last time he experienced the thrill of
victory at Madison Square Garden.


''It was 1997; I was with Portland,'' the Celtics point guard said.
''Then I beat them with Charlotte and with New Jersey. I've beaten them
several times. I just haven't beaten them here.''


He's not alone. No current Celtics player has beaten the New York Knicks
at Madison Square Garden in a Boston uniform.


The Celtics' 13-game Garden losing streak is second only to the 15
straight they dropped at Minneapolis from March 3, 1949, to Jan. 31,
1954. That streak was broken with a triumph on Feb. 18, 1954.


The team's road woes are just part of their misfortune in the Knicks
series since the 1991-92 season. Since then, New York leads overall,
27-7, and from 1992-97 was 11-0 in Boston.


''I've lost to them three times - make that twice, because I was injured
in one game,'' said Anderson, a native New Yorker. ''I don't know what
it is to it. They've got a great team right now, and they're playing
well at home. That's the bottom line.''


Moreover, the Knicks have Patrick Ewing back. He'll be playing his
second consecutive game after missing the first 20 of the season with
left Achilles' tendinitis. In the Knicks' 85-78 triumph over
Philadelphia Friday night, Ewing had only 7 points - all from the line -
but led the team with 10 rebounds.


''I'm sure he challenged a lot of shots, too,'' said Celtics forward
Antoine Walker. ''I'm sure just having his presence on the floor made a
difference.


''They were basically a perimeter team without him; now they have an
inside presence. We just have to hope he's still struggling a bit trying
to get his groove back, and we'll have a chance to win.''


While activating Ewing, the Knicks placed guard Rick Brunson of Salem on
the injured list with bone spurs in his right foot ... The Knicks are
5-2 at Madison Square Garden this season ... Former University of
Massachusetts standout and national college player of the year Marcus
Camby had nine starts during Ewing's absence. He is averaging 11.8
points, 8.2 boards, and 26.9 minutes a game.