"I think our offense and our defense will be every bit as good, if not better, as long as we get some bodies healthy," Ainge told Sports Illustrated.
The stakes on that gamble just got a bit higher. CSNNE.com is reporting Monday what many of us have suspected for weeks: Shaq is out indefinitely, this time due to a sore right foot.
"[Team trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] just said don't expect him any time soon," head coach Doc Rivers said this weekend.
The 7-foot-1 center, who turned 39 Sunday, has already sat the last 13 games with an Achilles' injury, which begs the question of whether he'll ever return (325 pounds is a lot to carry around on an injured Achilles' and foot). And if he does, whether or not he'll be effective.
Jermaine O'Neal (yep, he's still on the team), meanwhile, had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee at the beginning of February and isn't due back until just before the playoffs. Given that he's played 17 games all season, the early over-under on number of appearances he makes in the postseason is likely hovering around four.
There's no doubt that in today's age of rehabilitation therapy, both O'Neals could make miraculous recoveries and hit the court running in late April. But as it stands, Boston's staring at this postseason depth chart at center:
1. Nenad Krstic
2. Shaquille O'Neal (questionable)
3. Jermaine O'Neal (questionable)
Sure, Troy Murphy (6-foot-11) or even Jeff Green (6-foot-9) might be able to give some minutes in the low post, but Krstic, who's looked great offensively in the early going with the C's, will be the main matchup against opponents' starting centers.
In a first-round matchup against Indiana or Philadelphia? Not a problem. But stack the 7-foot, 240-pound Yugoslavian against Orlando's Dwight Howard in Round 2, or against the Bulls' far more mobile Joakim Noah in a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup — and there could be trouble.
Even worse: Match him up against the Lakers' Andrew Bynum in the Finals, if both teams are so lucky to make it there, and Boston fans might find themselves clamoring for Perk.
Krstic is a fine player and has been a pleasant addition on offense, but that slim frame and almost three full seasons spent playing within Oklahoma City's sieve of a defense will make it hard for him to slow down the NBA's better big men.
Of the five consecutive games the Celtics have won, consider this: Just one came against a formidable center, Utah's Al Jefferson, and he torched Boston for 28 points, 19 rebounds.
Ainge, no doubt, is hoping for two things: Shaq to get healthy and the pieces he added down the stretch (Krstic, Green, Murphy, Sasha Pavlovic and Carlos Arroyo) to provide enough scoring to offset a loss of presence in the defensive low post.
Now, Boston must hold on to hope that Ainge's gamble pays off.
