Another sprain for Szczerbiak

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- With 1 minute 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter of last night's 106-100 Celtics victory over the Bobcats, Wally Szczerbiak went down with a sprained right ankle and did not return. Given how quickly the ankle swelled up after the veteran was helped from the court by teammates, Doc Rivers suspects the forward will not be available for the Celtics' upcoming trip West, which ends Jan. 1.

" [It] is a pretty bad sprain," said Rivers. "It sounds like it is [worse than the other one]," said Rivers. [Trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] said this one was pretty bad. It swelled up immediately, which is not a good sign. If I was a betting man, I would say we won't have him on the West Coast."

The injury came four days after Szczerbiak returned to the lineup after recovering from a sprained left ankle he suffered Dec. 1 at Toronto. Szczerbiak missed five games over 10 days. Prior to these sprains, Szczerbiak had not suffered a single ankle injury during his eight-plus years in the NBA.

"It definitely hurts more than the last one, so we'll just have to see," said Szczerbiak. "It just happens. It's just part of being in this league. I've got to be resilient. I've got to go through all my treatments, go through the rehab process, handle it like the other one and come back strong again."

With every successful drive to the basket, Tony Allen (11 points, seven rebounds) appears to gain confidence. He looks more alert. He makes eye contract with Rivers when they talk on the sideline. Paul Pierce believes it is all about confidence for Allen.

"Regardless of [Allen's] numbers, I just want him to continue to play with confidence," said Pierce. "If he can just go out there and play with confidence, whether things are going good or things are going bad, he's going to be more consistent."

Allen believes it all comes down to confidence in his surgically repaired right knee, which was operated on more than a year ago.

"I think it's more the confidence in my knee," said Allen. "The stronger my knee gets, the better I am. Now, I'm just taking advantage of the opportunity when it's given."

Ryan Gomes did not travel to Charlotte. Rivers decided it was better he remain home for treatment on his strained right calf. Gomes is expected back in the lineup Wednesday against Golden State . . . Kendrick Perkins reports steady progress with his left foot plantar fasciitis. He hopes to be back for the end of the Celtics' trip West, but wants to make sure he practices three or four times before playing.