BOSTON - The injuries just keep coming. Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo suffered injuries during Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night at TD Garden. Bradley's left shoulder, which has been causing him problems all season long, popped out in the second quarter, but it went back in and Bradley returned to play in the fourth quarter, finishing with eight points.
"I thought he played fine [upon returning]," said Celtics head coach Doc Rivers. "He turned the ball over once and I thought that was a shoulder issue. If you see him trying to - he just had nothing on the ball. But, listen, I didn't think we'd have him. At halftime they said we wouldn't, and then when I walked out (Trainer) Eddie (Lacerte) right before said, ‘Hey, I think he's going to try to give it a go.'
"This is the third time now in two weeks his shoulder's come out. So, can't be a good feeling ... has to hurt like heck. The good news is, though, it did what it did in the past where it went right back in and he got his feeling. That's what happens when your shoulder goes out: you lose the feeling in your hand. You can't go back in until it comes back. Tonight it did."
Rondo, meanwhile, landed hard after a layup in the third quarter and stayed down for several seconds. Rondo would get back up and would not come out of the game.
"There may have been [with his hand], I never ask," Rivers said. "Hell, every time I ask the trainer or doctor it's a bad answer. I just ask (Trainer) Ed (Lacerte) if he can play."
As for Paul Pierce, he did not suffer an injury in Game 2 but did continue to show the effects of his sprained MCL in his left knee, which he suffered during shootaround prior to Game 4 of Boston's first round series against the Atlanta Hawks. Pierce had seven points.
"The knee was fine," Pierce said after the loss. "I wore my knee brace today."
Bradley, Pierce and Rondo will have one day to heal up before Game 3 on Wednesday.
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