With the NBA playoffs in full swing, the last thing the Boston Celtics need is another injury to another key player.
So when Aron Baynes was seen apparently writhing in pain on the C’s bench during Game 1 of their best-of-seven series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, red flags immediately went up.
But after the game, Baynes told reporters he was just fine.
“I looked like I was in pain?” Baynes said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “That’s all right. Looks can be deceiving for sure.”
His excuse?
“I must have been breathing harder than normal.”
One reporter noted he’d been seen screaming from the pain on the bench. Baynes had an answer for that one, too.
“I might have been a little bit emotional,” he said. “That’s all. One of those things. It’s all good. At the end of the day, our emotion runs a little bit high.”
(Check out the video below to judge the situation yourself.)
But Baynes insisted he is good to go.
“I’m fine and ready to get back out there,” he said.
It’s worth noting that Baynes has been known to bend the truth from time to time regarding his injuries and their severity. Earlier this month, Brad Stevens said the big man has lied about his health “on several occasions throughout his career.”
As for whether he’s actually hurting, Celtics fans most likely will have to wait for Game 2 on Wednesday to see.
