NEW YORKThe Boston Celtics will once again experience life without Ray Allen, whose right ankle injury apparently hasn't healed as well as believed.
Allen went through shoot-around this morning, and seemed fine. But C's coach Doc Rivers got the news afterward that Allen's ankle problems would keep him out of the C's lineup once again.
"As far as the movement, the mobility from the morning, it wasn't to my liking," said Allen, who will miss his 15th game in the last 16 played by the C's.
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Allen's injury has been disappointing from the start. But now it's starting to trend towards frustration.
"I was excited about coming in, feeling that lift and spring again," Allen said. "But for some reason, it wasn't there. That's the disappointment that it lingers towards frustration. I've been doing what I need to do to get back. I guess my ankle is saying, 'I'm not ready yet,' I gotta take more time."
Rivers had already implemented the inclusion of Allen in his game plan for tonight's game, only to find out upon arriving at Madison Square Garden that Allen would not play.
"I got here and got the Grim Reaper (Eddie Lacerte, the C's team trainer) - that's what we call Eddie when he comes in. And he gave me the news. Just roll with it, and we'll see tomorrow."
That was just the beginning of the bad news for Boston.
Mickael Pietrus watched shoot-around this morning, but was sent back to Boston to have his knee examined. His status for Wednesday's game against Orlando is unclear.
Rivers believes his problem has more to do with the schedule being so packed with games.
"You kind of forget that he's been out so long," Rivers said. "And then we kind of threw him back in the fire. I probably errored there, too. Three games in a row for him, his knee swelled up so we sent him back home right away."
Pietrus suffered a concussion on March 23 which forced him to miss the C's next 10 games. He returned on April 11 against Atlanta and appeared in the next four games which included the Celtics' only set of back-to-back-to-back games this season.
It is unclear when either player will return to the lineup. But as has been the case with guys getting hurt all season, there will not be any plans to rush anyone back - especially with the playoffs just a couple weeks away.
"At the end of the day, we need everyone for the playoffs," Rivers said.