Even When Sporting A Suit, Shaq’s Still Rocking The Sneakers

Celtics coach Doc Rivers had his club go through a “skeleton” practice Thursday, a session which warrants no contact but would demand Shaquille O’Neal to run at full speed.

“That’ll be good for him,” Rivers told CSNNE.com. “Full speed, no contact is probably the best thing for him right now.”

Is yet to be determined whether or not the big fella would partake in Friday’s team practice.  If so, he’d be limited.

“He’ll practice some, but not all of that practice,” Rivers said.

Shaq’s last effort to return failed in the Garden on April 3 against Detroit.  In that contest, he lasted just less than six minutes before his calf injury gave way.

Even team president Danny Ainge is unsure of Shaq’s next return.  “I wish I had an answer to that one,” Ainge said. “He looks better today. There’s progress. We’re still hopeful that he’ll be ready to play but it’s just taking longer to heal, or taking a while to heal. Shaq was determined to play Game 1 of the first playoff series and it’s just not been that way. He could probably go out and something but I’m not sure he could help much.”  Not much of a big deal, considering they probably won’t be facing “Superman” [Dwight Howard] in the Playoffs.  Chances are, if they do advance to June, they will either face the team that beat them in the Finals last year or the team they traded Kendrick Perkins to.  Then, maybe then, they could use The Original Superman.

“Right now he could not give us 12 minutes. We want Shaq healthy. If Shaq could give us 12 minutes in the first game without jeopardizing the following game he would probably be out there doing that but he’s not ready to do that yet.”  Who knows, maybe the kid who was nicknamed “Baby Shaq” at the same college (LSU) O’Neal went to, could channel his inner-Shaq intimidation tactics?  Nonetheless, it looks like the Celtics are prepared to move on without the big fella who dons the number 36 jersey.

More Ainge on WEEI’s Big Show: Second unit trouble? “We don’t rely on our bench like some teams. Our bench played really well in Game 4. I thought in Game 3 our bench got frustrated maybe because they were answering a lot of questions, maybe the pressure was mounting and they didn’t get the opportunities in their mind to play through the adversity they were facing because we have four Hall of Fame guys sitting over there that Doc can call on when things get bad. In Game 4 it was huge, the rest Rondo got in the second quarter was enormous. Delonte [West] was really playing well. Jeff Green was playing well so Paul [Pierce] was able to get the rest he needed and it showed up in the second half.”

Series with Miami: “They’ve been playing together a little bit longer but I still think they’re just a really scary team. When we beat them early in the year I don’t think Dwyane Wade was 100 percent healthy. He’s sure playing at a high level right now. I think we’re better. I think we’re playing at a high level the last couple of games. I think both teams have great respect for the other team. Both teams know that they’re going to have to play their best basketball to win and there’s nothing that’s going to be given to anyone in this series.”

The Healthy O’Neal: “If our perimeter guys do a good enough job and not put too much stress on him and make have guard the rim all time … but Jermaine has done a great job. He did a great job in the last series in all four games. In all of his minutes he was huge for us defensively. We really need Jermaine to continue to play that kind of defense.”

Next Round: Miami Heat. Game 1 in South Beach: Sunday, 3:30 ET