No Word On Rip Yet

by Jeff Clark on May 30, 2008 7:12 AM EDT in Boston Celtics Games

Still no official word on if Rip Hamilton will play tonight, nor do I expect any until tipoff at the earliest.

The Detroit Pistons don't know if Richard Hamilton will be healthy enough to play against the Boston Celtics Friday night in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. Detroit's leading scorer strained his right elbow in the final seconds of Boston's 106-102 win Wednesday night in Game 5. X-rays were negative, and Hamilton's arm was in a sling as he left TD Banknorth Garden.
"If we had to play [yesterday], I don't think he'd play," said coach Flip Saunders, whose team didn't practice yesterday. "It would be different if it was the left arm, but it's his right arm. The shooting arm. The golden arm."
Hamilton will be a game-time decision. If he cannot play, Saunders said he would probably insert rookie Rodney Stuckey at shooting guard.

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Here’s a word “flopper” Here’s another word “whiner” He may have a lower pain threshold than Glen Davis….so here’s another word “baby” Now you have three words on Rip. I’m here all day folks.

by Master Po on May 30, 2008 7:26 AM EDT reply actions

He knows all the tricks to get himself open for a clean look at
the hoop. If he can’t play to his usual high standards it will
hurt the Pistons. They would probably play Stuckey more.

by Greg37 on May 30, 2008 7:29 AM EDT reply actions

serves him right – he was really muscling ray ray on the play he got injured. he had one arm wrapped in front of ray’s neck and injured the other – his over agressive play gets a free pass from the refs. Glad the big ref in the sky has been watching this series.

by ForexPirate on May 30, 2008 7:39 AM EDT reply actions

Chortle.

Uh-huh.

Surrrrreeeeee, Rip’s hurt. Sure he is.

Uh-huh.

by CoachBo on May 30, 2008 7:41 AM EDT reply actions

Give me one defensive possession and I’d be willing to bet you you’ll find Hamilton doing what he always does.

Grabbing, pulling, holding, punching.

With both arms.

I don’t believe a word of this arm thing.

by CoachBo on May 30, 2008 7:42 AM EDT reply actions

He’ll play, don’t worry.

I might add that until this series, (through no one’s fault but my own), I thought Hamilton was a really good basketball player. After watching him closely throughout these games, I have discovered for my own eyes, what many of you probably already knew. Rip Hamilton a great shooter, but is a dirty player. On the play where he was injured, he damn near raped Ray Allen and strangled him, knowingly, all at the same time. And he wasn’t called for the mugging. Then Rasheed Wallace goes on with his ref-bashing tirade after the game. Someone ought to show him the video of that play to shut him up.

I’m all for physical play, as long as it’s clean and hard, not dirty with the intent to injure. Red used to talk of enforcers. Cedric Maxwell, though he didn’t use the term enforcer, said on Sports Tonight the other day that this team needs to get physical with Rip, especially as he flies across the lane behind picks. Make him think twice. Ray Alle is not the enforcer type. Don’t we have anyone who can give a good, clean, hard foul. Say, someone who is built like a Leon Powe? I say a “pow” from a Powe would be just the prescription this doctor ordered.

by DrD on May 30, 2008 8:09 AM EDT reply actions

He’s a cheap player, flop artist, Reggie Miller wannabe.

by mcpu40 on May 30, 2008 8:41 AM EDT reply actions

If they say he might not play he’s 100%. Belicheck style from the Pistons no doubt.

by Brendan on May 30, 2008 8:49 AM EDT reply actions

Agree with everyone, except that instead of having Powe flatten the little jerk, I’d use Baby, because even his ordinary fouls are so severe and NFL-like that they can’t be distinguished from intentional enforcement. ;)

by Eeyore III on May 30, 2008 9:19 AM EDT reply actions

who knows? it was the same with chauncy and he’s done ok. it’s for all the marbles. even tho a dirty player or a smarty pants player, i would like to see him play.

by nazzbo on May 30, 2008 9:51 AM EDT reply actions

This is Vecsey’s take this morning:

“When Rip Hamilton left the arena after Game 5 he continued to be unable to bend his right elbow. Even if he somehow plays I can’t see him being any kind of a positive factor. The good news is, the Pistons won two games (one in Orlando) against the Magic with Rodney Stuckey filling in for the injured Chauncey Billups, so it’s not as Detroit has to fight Boston unarmed.”

I think it is unlikely Hamilton will be effective tonight. I also think his loss is much greater than Billups, who has struggled. I don’t think that Stuckey can replace Hamilton, who has been the team’s leading scorer. This would be a big advantage for the Celtics.

by footey on May 30, 2008 9:52 AM EDT reply actions

Elbows are a bad thing to injure, especially the shooting elbow. I had a tiny fracture on mine a year and a half ago and it still feels a bit weird shooting. I couldn’t play for months after hurting it. If he was having a hard time extending it, it will totally mess up the mechanics of his shot, which for rip, is about all he brings to the table.

by galen on May 30, 2008 10:06 AM EDT reply actions