The Boston Celtics may have lost more than just Game 1 on Saturday night.
The Celtics dropped a wild affair to the Atlanta Hawks their first-round playoff series opener at Philips Arena. But Boston might have bigger concerns after Avery Bradley left the game in the fourth quarter with a painful right hamstring injury.
Bradley appeared to suffer the injury after coming down awkwardly on his right leg while trying to block a Jeff Teague shot. As he ran back up the court, the 25-year-old guard pulled up in severe pain and was on the ground for nearly a minute before being helped to the locker room. He did not return.
Head coach Brad Stevens provided a disturbing development on Bradley’s injury after the game.
“I saw Avery. He’s very, very sore,” Stevens said in a postgame interview aired on CSN New England. “He said on the court that he heard a pop. I don’t know if that was something that he got hit or what. So, we’ll see.”
Bradley, who needed the support of a crutch to walk after the game, told reporters he’d get an MRI on his injured hamstring Sunday.
“I tried to go up and block Teague. When I came down, I felt weird,” Bradley said in a postgame interview on CSN New England. “I took a few steps and I just couldn’t walk. …Â I just want try to get treatment and take it day-by-day, and hopefully I can be back by next game.”
Despite Bradley’s optimistic outlook, those on the scene reported they’d be very surprised if they saw Bradley in the lineup for Game 2.
Losing Bradley for any period of time would be a tough blow for the Celtics. The sixth-year guard dropped 18 points in 33 minutes Saturday before getting injured and also is one of Boston’s best on-ball defenders. The C’s will need other players to step up in his absence, and rookie guard Terry Rozier could be one player who Stevens calls on to fill the void.
Thumbnail photo via Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports Images.
