We sure could have used Isaiah Thomas last night. And we’d probably REALLY need him against San Antonio. But don’t expect him back for that game either. In fact, he might not be back for Sunday or Monday against Detroit or Brooklyn, either.
“It was a pretty gruesome fall. He bounced back and played the rest of the game, and hit a couple of big shots to secure that game for us. The next day, I saw his tailbone as he was getting therapy and I’ve never seen anything like that before in my 35 years in the NBA,” said Ainge. “I’ve never seen anything that bruised and swollen. [On Wednesday], he was out and walking, shooting some shots, but I think he’s a little bit away.”
Ainge said Thomas is, “Maybe a week away from returning to the court.”
This is a long time to go without a top scorer in a playoff run. Miami has gotten hot, and is making a big run to claim the 7th seed. If Ainge is right, Thomas’ return would be against those Heat, which could end up being a pivotal game for the Celtics’ playoff hopes.
The Celtics won’t rush him back for that, though. Some might even say this is a convenient excuse to hold Thomas out as long as possible and maybe push the Celtics into the lottery. Thomas hasn’t given any indications he’s itching to play or is close to ready… so let’s just play it safe. Milwaukee and Indiana are both in tailspins right now, so the Celtics might not lose much ground even if they scuffle a little without Thomas.
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