By A. Sherrod Blakely
CSNNE.com
BOSTONThe Boston Celtics opted to not have a Magnetic Resonance Imaging test performed on Nate Robinson's bruised right knee, suffered in the second quarter of Boston's 92-86 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
After the game, Robinson told CSNNE.com that he would have an MRI performed on Friday as a precautionary measure.
However, the injury doesn't appear serious enough to warrant further testing.
"We didn't think it was necessary," Ainge told CSNNE.com on Friday evening.
Following the loss, Robinson could not put weight on the knee or run.
Even with the pain, the 5-foot-9 guard was hopeful that the injury would not prevent him from playing in Sunday's game against the Miami Heat.
Boston Celtics
"I'm good," Robinson said following the loss on Thursday. "I just didn't want to put too much pressure on it. I want to save it for everything else that I need to do to work out if I'm ready for Sunday."
And Sundays, more than any other day of the week, have been good to Robinson all season.
He's averaging 7.3 points and two assists per game this season.
But on Sundays, the basketball gods are clearly loving Robinson, whose scoring average jumps up to 12.3 points per game while his assists numbers (2.7) show a slight rise as well.
Even if the 'Good Nate' didn't come out on Sundays, the Celtics desperately need him in uniform against Miami.
With so many injuries to so many players - the C's only had 10 healthy players on Thursday, and that was prior to Robinson's injury - depth becomes a major concern.
There's a chance that Delonte West, out with a broken right wrist injury since Nov. 24, may return on Wednesday against the New Jersey Nets - the same team Boston played when West suffered the broken right (non-shooting) wrist injury.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the medical staff went back and fourth prior to the Lakers loss about whether to play West or not.
That indecision was all Rivers needed to hear in determining it was best not to play West.
Instead, Rivers is hopeful to get West back on the floor against the Nets, which would be a huge lift for a team that desperately needs to get more bodies back on the court.
A. Sherrod Blakely can be reached at sblakely@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sherrod on Twitter at http:twitter.comsherrodbcsn