Scott Souza from the MetroWest Daily News will be joining us tonight at 9pm EST after the game against the Toronto Raptors. As you well know, the Celtics dropped 3 out of their 4 match-ups during the holiday week and lost Garnett just as the glut of injured players were preparing to return to the floor. Jermaine O'Neal was the first to get healthy and the most likely to bridge the gap during KG's absence. Scott had this article on O'Neal after the loss to the Hornets Friday:
O'Neal still looks uneasy in the team's offense and a little behind on conditioning - he's only been through three practices since swelling flared in his knee Nov. 8 in Dallas - but he was on the floor for Boston's 18-0 run in the second half and was a deterrent in the paint all day.
"We're down a man and we're down a very important man (in Garnett)," O'Neal said. "You have to be willing to do whatever the coach asks you to in that situation."
Rivers praised the play of O'Neal over the past three games, saying he is giving the team the defense it needs while letting his offense slowly develop. O'Neal has said throughout his injury-marred run in Boston that rebounding and shot blocking are the two things he knows he can help the club with even when his shooting and timing are off.
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