Slow go frustrates Raef

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Slow go frustrates Raef
By Mark Murphy
Thursday, November 27, 2003

ORLANDO - Though today's practice is targeted as an important gauge for Raef
LaFrentz' return to the Celtics lineup, the forward voiced disappointment over
his slow recovery from right knee tendinitis.

     ``It has responded, but not as well as I want it to,'' LaFrentz, who is
also recovering from an infection that caused him to lose 12 pounds, said
yesterday. ``I just want to try and keep it under control.''

     Though the malady has been described by Celtics officials as extreme
tendinitis, LaFrentz said the problem ``is that the tendon pulled off the bone
in September, and we're trying to get it to heal. That's what I've been
told.''

     LaFrentz was asked if surgery has been discussed as an alternative.

     ``Hopefully it will heal,'' he said. ``We'll try to get it under control
and analyze it. Obviously surgery is something you want to avoid.''

     cw2Director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, who along with coach
Jim O'Brien had pointed to tomorrow night's home game against the Milwaukee
Bucks as a possible return date, expressed surprise over LaFrentz'
reaction.cw0

     ``My last conversation with Raef was that he was very excited, and he
felt better,'' Ainge said of a talk on Tuesday.

     At the time of LaFrentz' trade from Dallas to the Celtics during the last
week of October, a so-called ``hot spot'' that showed up during MRI tests gave
management pause before going ahead with the deal.

     That hot spot now appears to be playing a decisive role in LaFrentz'
availability.

     ``The doctors have told me that Raef should be coming back (tomorrow),''
Ainge said. ``But you have to understand that sometimes when players describe
injuries, they can sound worse than they actually are. But surgery hasn't even
been brought up - not even an option.''

     LaFrentz' struggles haven't helped a growing perception that the Celtics
traded Antoine Walker [news] for damaged goods.

     ``That's a true statement for now, but in this business things change
quickly, so we'll see,'' Ainge said. ``Look at Vin Baker. Look where he's come
from. He might be the best low post player in the East right now.

     ``So time will tell. When Raef played in a lot of pain early in the year,
he was still effective. We're hoping that he'll be even better when he comes
back.''

     In the meantime, there is more than enough frustration to go around.

     ``We do everything we can do,'' LaFrentz said. ``I come in for (therapy)
on game days, too. Now I'm going to progress from that to low impact workouts.

     ``It's not the way you want to start, but it's where we're at. We'll
practice (today), and if we see improvement then yeah, I'll be in uniform
(tomorrow).''
Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx