Delonte West reinjured his sprained right ankle on Monday night against the Washington Wizards, but the Celtics' reserve guard is confident he can return by Sunday night when the Eastern Conference playoffs begin at the TD Garden.
"Nothing different, just kind of reaggravated it," West said of the ankle, which he originally sprained on Feb. 28 in Utah. "It swelled up again. Now it's back to treatments. Today I feel better than yesterday. I guess that's the recipe — put it in the ice bucket, and hope it feels better than yesterday."
Last time West injured the ankle, he was out for nearly three weeks. He missed eight games between Feb. 26 and March 16, when he returned at home against the Pacers and played 16 minutes. This time, he's determined to come back faster.
If Sunday were a regular-season game, he admitted, he wouldn't be tempted to play. But the playoffs are a different animal.
"All hands on deck now," he said. "No excuses. If you can play, you've got to suit up."
