Daniel Theis leaves Clippers game with sore knee

Daniel Theis didn’t look right. After starting the game as part of a triple big lineup with Tristan Thompson and Grant Williams, the usually reliable Theis was a step slow and looked hobbled.

“I don’t think it’s anything big. He sat a couple of occasions last year for the same thing,” Brad Stevens said after sitting Theis for the rest of the game. “But this stretch is insane, so we have to be smart will all of these guys.”

February is a brutal month for the Celtics with 16 games in 27 days. Last night’s game in Los Angeles was their third in four days. Theis had logged nearly fifty-six minutes in the back-to-back in San Francisco and Sacramento.

The 28-year-old Theis does have injury history with his knee. In the offseason, he had arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body in his left knee. Nearly three years ago in March of 2018, he had surgery on the same knee to repair the lateral meniscus.

Theis had complained of knee soreness before facing the Clippers. After warming up, he decided to give it a go, but it didn’t respond well after playing nearly nine minutes in the first half. Carsen Edwards started after halftime and was a key contributor in the win. The good news is that it doesn’t appear to be serious and the Celtics have the day off on Saturday.