Luckily for the C's, it appears Pietrus could be working his way back to the Boston lineup soon enough.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers dropped some intel on reporters before Thursday night's game in Chicago, explaining that Pietrus' status had been upgraded and that he was cleared to begin concussion testing, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Pietrus, who was seen wearing sunglasses and a towel covering his head during the Heat game on Sunday, hasn't played since being stretchered off the floor against the Sixers on March 23. The clearance apparently means Pietrus can resume most normal activities and could even make it back onto the court pretty soon.
In his absence, second-year guard Avery Bradley has taken on a much more prominent role with the Celtics. Bradley has started five of the six games and is averaging 12.5 points over the stretch.
The return of Ray Allen to the roster on Wednesday added depth to the C's roster, putting Bradley back on the bench. But until Pietrus returns Paul Pierce and Co. will be forced to compensate for the swingman's absence.
Pietrus was averaging 6.8 points and three rebounds per night with the Celtics this season. At the time of the injury, Pietrus had just seemed to find a rhythm within the offense and was seeing additional minutes each game.
His return isn't essential to the Celtics success this postseason, but the addition of a defensive stalwart and deadly 3-point shooter would certainly help Boston's case.
