Re: Oh No! Pierce Out Indefinitely

[Dan Forant <dforant1@nycap.rr.com>]

Pierce had a sprain last season also and took quite awhile before he was
himself again. 

At 08:13 AM 12/12/99 -0800, you wrote:
>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.
>
>