How is next years start of the season more important that this years title run?

Am I the only one who doesnt want to see KG again this season? sorry, get healthy for next season and lets see how far we go with what we got. I dont see an out of game shape KG making much impact anyways. maybe a liability actually

that’s what KG is thinking. ""Just get me to Cleveland, and I’ll play"

on a weei interview – doc said that KG’s not running, is never on the floor. He’s just lifting weights.

Simmons is doing a chat later today and I already sent in this questions: "Bill. I don’t get how KG can play 4 games in late March and average 9 points, 4.5 rebounds with 65% shooting in 16.8 minutes (solid for limited minutes) to being completely “unable” to play a couple months later. I watched him in those games. He wasn’t 100%, but he wasn’t 0% either. Project those stats out and he’s pretty much at his career averages. My buddy and I have a baseless theory that KG is capable of mustering 3-4 games out of himself before his knee swells up and he has to be shut down and that the Celtics are just trying not to waste those minutes if they don’t need him. I like to compare KG to the “NOS” in those crappy “Fast and Furious” movies… once Boston gets close to the finish line they’ll press the button and it’ll give them a temporary burst. What say you? Does Boston press the KG button if they make it to the ECF? "

My thought is that… I’m not sure how often Boston is going to get 1 game away from the ECF. Other than last year I think we did it once in the past couple decades. If we get to the next round I want KG to play on one leg. I dont’ care. Next year Pierce and Rondo could be hurt… we never know if we’ll get this shot again.

This is a tough one because we do not know what next year brings even though on paper the team will be extremely formidable. The time is now and we are on the verge of playing in the ECF. But If he is not running, I do not see how he can help us. Unlike the first round, there is not much down time between games. Pierce said another reason to win tonight is so they can get some practice time in before the Cleveland series. So if we win tonight, it will be interesting to learn whether KG starts running and tries to get into game shape. Hate to see him aggravate his injury, but if he can contribute, the time is now, not next year. For all we know, KG comes back healthy next year but one of our other key guys goes down with an season ending injury. Although this team is self-motivated, I also think the thought of playing alongside a fired-up KG in the ECF is also driving them. They know that if he plays, they have a better chance of can taking number 18. Let’s get this one tonight and see what happens. What a roller coaster ride!!

after listening to the podcast it’s really dreary. It’s something that could cause him to retire, but it’s not going to happen, because he’s on the hook for 50 million more. So he’ll probably try to come back, but with his age there is no telling how he’ll heal. Surgery involves putting screws in the tendon and it’s going to change the entire mechanics of his knee. He might never be the same player again.

Geeze LarBrd33. That is awful news. Does anyone have the transcript or the link to the podcast? In light of this news, I wonder if he will decide to play in the ECF and just let it all hang out for one last hurrah. How inspirational would it be to the team and the fans if he could just give us 15 minutes a game, knowing that he will undergo surgery in the off season and perhaps never play again? Ugh…

Thanks for that last two posts LarBrd33. Wow, Some sobering news. I will check out the podcast but your description makes me think he is going to chance playing once we make the ECF. Given the uncertainty of his playing future, whether it may be over or limited, he may, like jyrecelts suggested, just go for it and retire a champion. Not sure this is a smart move because any bad effects from aggravating this injury extends into his life outside of basketball. Anyone would want to stay healthy so they can play with their kids, etc…I admit that part of me is selfish for wanting him to play, and the other part says don’t do it. Trust your teammates to get the job done. Poor guy. He is in a tough situation.

Wondering if he medically retires, 1) would we be off the hook, in terms of salary cap for his contract, and 2), would he be paid by some insurance policy rather than the team?

I haven’t listened to the podcast, but LarBrd’s summary of it does not sound encouraging.

I just listened to the first 15 minutes or so and it does not sound good. It sounds like if he attempted to play, especially at playoff level basketball, he would be in a lot of pain. We may be able to get a 10 minutes out of him for a couple of games. Totally not worth risking his career or the quality of life outside the NBA. In listening to this, I am convinced he should not play. I wonder if the players listened to the podcast and learned a few things they did not know about his injury. I have to assume that Doc and Danny filled them in. I hope they are not hearing this for the first time like we are. This is, I believe, the most concrete information we have received about his injury and his playing future. It must be killing him having this medical information, seeing his teammates bust their asses and deciding what the hell to do.

I’m listening to the podcast and not getting the same sense of doom that others seem to be getting.

the dire predictions of a career ending/altering result from this injury are based on there being major tearing in this tendon that connects the muscle to the bone.

as they note in the podcast, the amount of tearing is total speculation on their part. the guest says he has no way to know how much tearing is involved and that injury itself does not even necessarily require surgery….

this idea that they are waiting till the end of the season to do this surgery to put in screws to re-attach the tendon is speculation and they are not claiming that that is what is going on….

anyway, not saying it is a “get ready for KGs return” report, but they also are not forcasting the end of his career….plus, the door is still open for a return based on the fact that no surgery has been scheduled..

that’s what I’m hearing….

Simmons has been on the "KG May Be Done’ theme for several weeks and now we probably know why. This is who likely has been feeding him info.

Keep in mind however that neither is a medical professional and a lot of modern medicine, shocking as it may seem, is inexact. It does sound like we’re in uncharted territory with this injury but I don’t think it’s time to start hitting the panic button just yet.

However, it WOULD be nice if the Celtics would come out and clarify things just a little bit. Everyone has been evasive to the point where you wonder whether he actually did have surgery and the C’s managed to cover it up.

If I’m Wyc & Company though, my bottom line is how to maximize the $55 mil investment they have in KG over the next 3 years and I’m sure that’s the ultimate goal is here.

The other thing to keep in mind is this is speculation. Simmons is paid well to get people thinking and Carrol, unlike say a Globe or Herald writer doesn’t need to worry about being fired tomorrow if he starts ‘reporting’ something that turns out to be way off base.

The point that Will Carroll was making was that, first, KG’s injury is apparently an injury to the popliteus tendon—an injury, according to Carroll, so rare that there is not really a surgery for it. And, second, what is happening is not only that the injury means that KG can’t property “unextend” the leg but also that the tendon is apparently avulsed—which is to say that there is at least some tearing of the tendon away from the bone.

Carroll was suggesting that it is not a question of whether KG can play through the pain, not least because the continued swelling means that the damage is functional. But everything beyond that—from the screws to KG’s not being able to recover fully after surgery, etc.—is, as you note, just speculation.

Will Carroll is not a doctor, nor does he have any medical training. Will Carroll is a BASEBALL writer. Bill Simmons is, well, Bill Simmons.

Everyone should take their musings with a sea full of salt.

Agreed these two are not doctors but I assume that Will is getting his information from doctors. I still think we need to be worried. If he could play, he would.

The bottom line is that we do not know the extent of the tearing away from the tendon. Playing will increase the risk of a further tear. If there is no surgery for this, decides to play now, and further tears the tendon, would the offseason we enough for him to heal? And even if he did heal, it would likely come from staying off the knee for months with minimal practice time in the offseason. If he plays next year, again with surgery not being an option, what is the risk of another tear?

I doubt we will hear from KG about this until the playoffs are over. He does not like giving interviews anyway so I doubt he says a thing.

I’ve concluded that the injury is much more serious than we were led to believe. It’s not just a bone spur that can be easily removed. It’s a tendon tearing away from the bone that has to be reattached. That’s 5 weeks in a cast and a six month rehab minimum. It could be longer.

It’s INSANE to keep deferring the surgery. If he tries to play, it could serious aggravate the tear. It’s not worth it. Protect your investment. This guy is owed 70 million more on his deal, and if he can’t play, the Celtics are in deep trouble, both on the court and salary cap wise.

Who says the Celtics will be eliminated?

As a medical student and anatomy instructor I find Will Carroll’s description of the m.popliteus tendon pretty funny, and totally off btw.
I don’t understand why Bill Simmons didnt ask a doctor instead of a sports writer?