Does The Celtics Season Hang On The Uncertain Health Of Rondo’s Back?

“We can’t allow they to play like this, or it’s going to be tough at our place, too.” – Doc Rivers, following his team’s 102-91 loss in Game two.

If it’s already not tough enough.  Being down 0-2 against a team which features both LeBron and Wade. On top of that, everyone in the starting five except Garnett, is dealing with an injury.

Wait, there’s good news.  The status of Shaq is at its best since early April.  As for the rest of the bruised members in green; even better, as they appear ready to go for Saturday night’s game three in the Garden against Miami.

“Everybody’s good,” said Rivers. “Everybody is feeling pretty good. Shaq went through practice … we just watched film and walked over some stuff, and then, the second unit [not including O'Neal] worked on their stuff. Right now, we expect every single guy, including Shaq, to play [in Game 3].”  Now, to how good will they be in Game three and how that will influence the rest of the series is a different story.  Is “good” mean they are good enough to beat the Heat?

Paul Pierce is nursing a left Achilles strain, Ray Allen experienced a chest bruise from a LeBron elbow, and both Rajon Rondo and Jermaine O’Neal are fighting sore backs.  Kevin Garnett is feeling lonely.  All joking aside, I honestly don’t know if the Celtics could take down the “Big 3″ even if they were completely healthy.  At their current condition?  Undoubtedly, it seems like all odds are stacked against them.

Despite being down 0-2, the Celtics coach kept his sense of keen humor when given the question why he’s so sure Shaq will suit up for Game three.  Doc laughingly answered, “Because he told me he was going to play.  I still don’t know what an injured Shaq will bring to the table.  He hasn’t played in over a month (April 3, vs. Detroit).  He hasn’t finished a game without having to come out due to injury since before the All-Star break.  What can you expect from a guy who hasn’t put in a full night’s worth of basketball post-All Star game?

“[Team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] thought he would play, so I do expect him to play,” Rivers added. “If he didn’t, it would be because something went wrong in practice with his body. But right now, I expect him to play.”  Can we expect him to contribute, Doc?  Possibly, his presence alone brings something?

For Mr. Celtic, Pierce suffered his strained Achilles in the first quarter against Miami, but was able to return in the second quarter.  Paul had this to say according to ESPN Boston: “I’m day to day right now,” “We’re just going to see how it feels the next couple of days. When you strain your Achilles, every step is like a slight, little pain in there. But it actually loosened up when I got back in there, got up and down a few times, and it really didn’t affect me the rest of the game.”  The Celtics need Pierce to be loose and play unaffected by his Achilles or else they will feel an even worse pain – losing to the Heat at home, something they didn’t do during the regular season.

As for the NBA’s all-time leading three point shooter, he’s feeling a lot better compared to 48 hours ago.  “It’s still a little tight,” said Allen. “It wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t do some of the things I wanted to do when I worked out. It feels a lot better from two days ago.”  Ray experienced shortness of breath in Game two, which forced him out of the contest at the 2:55 mark during the third quarter, but he then returned in the final period with a little more than seven minutes remaining.  An integral part to the Celtics team, Allen will have to not only feel a lot better for Saturday, but play a lot better than he did on Tuesday, when he went 2-7 and only made one shot from long distance.

The former UConn great was the only starter to come onto the floor during the portion of practice open to the media.  Let’s see if he and his Celtics teammates can do some of things they didn’t do against the Heat the first two games of the series.  With all the uncertainty surrounding the important pieces put together for a Finals puzzle, a return trip to basketball in mid-late June seems distant and rather unlikely for the banged up Celtics.