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April 11, 2007

Paul Pierce to miss rest of season

Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce will miss the rest of the season with a sore left elbow.

Pierce, who had surgery on that elbow last offseason and had an infection in it earlier this season, hasn't played since re-aggravating the injury in a 105-96 double-overtime victory over Orlando on March 28.

With only five games remaining, including Wednesday's game against Philadelphia, and the Celtics long out of playoff contention, coach Doc Rivers said rushing Pierce back wouldn't be worth the risk.

“I don't think it makes any sense,” Rivers said. “I just think it's dangerous and not smart to do.”

Pierce, who missed 24 games earlier in the season with a stress reaction in his left foot, averaged 25 points and 5.9 rebounds in a career-low 47 games.

Rivers also said forward Brian Scalabrine will sit out the rest of the season, and there's a good chance forward Al Jefferson and guard Delonte West will, too.

Scalabrine missed his 10th game Wednesday with a strained left hamstring, West missed his fourth game with a sprained left ankle and Jefferson sat out his fifth game with a bruised left knee.

Of those players, West is most likely to return.

“I still want to play,” he said. “I'm not going to end my season like this, with a sprained ankle.”

--AP

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 8:09 PM to Celtics | Permalink

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