Celtics notebook

Perkins won't rush return

Center says shoulder gets 'better by the day'

Chris Bosh can only watch as Kevin Garnett slams the ball home with authority. (Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff)

By Frank Dell'Apa

Globe Staff / January 13, 2009

Text size – +

Kendrick Perkins did his best to be optimistic after he was ruled out of last night's game against Toronto, plus games against New Jersey tomorrow and Saturday, because of his left shoulder injury.

After meeting with Dr. Brian McKeon before the game, Perkins said, "He wants me to stay on top of my conditioning, stay on top of the weights.

"It's getting better by the day and it feels a lot better now. He would rather me sit out a week and not rush it. That's not bad - it used to be by the month. We know we're going to make the playoffs, so there's no rush. I'm sure they would rather have me for the playoffs."

Perkins was injured in the first quarter of the Celtics' loss to the Lakers on Christmas Day, a setback that ended their 19-game winning streak and sent them into a 2-7 slump. Brian Scalabrine replaced Perkins in the starting lineup for a 94-88 win at Toronto Sunday and for last night's 115-109 overtime win.

"Not career-ending but it could be a career problem, it has been in his young career," coach Doc Rivers said of Perkins. "Last year we got away with it, and in Game 5 [of the Finals] he was out. So, you just don't know with it.

"It depends on lineups. The tough part about not having Perk - especially if you are playing power '5's' - you are stuck playing Kevin [ Garnett] on that, which you don't want, because it kills him, his energy, and doesn't allow him to roam the way we want him to roam."

"With Perk, it has to be frustrating. The two games it's happened he hasn't been able to rebound at all - he didn't [against the Lakers] and he had one the other night [in a loss at Cleveland]. That's the reason - he couldn't lift, he couldn't raise his arms.

"He knows he's going to play, but he knows it's going to happen again. The rest of the year, he just has to play through it."

Guard Tony Allen (ankle) is also expected to be out at least until Monday's game against Phoenix.

Overtime pay

The Celtics scored 22 points in overtime, breaking by 1 point a franchise record set during a 135-120 victory at San Francisco Jan. 2, 1963. Paul Pierce led the way with 9 points in overtime. "You'll need to start playing some of that Superman theme music in the building when he's going like that," said Garnett, who then hummed John Williams's theme from the film . . . Guard Sam Cassell will remain on the bench in an unofficial player-coach role. "I held off the temptation," Rivers said. "There were a couple of games I actually thought about putting him in, I really just don't want to play him right now. I like him where he's at. He may have his time. I just don't want to take the chance. He's at an age where he has an expiration date, and I don't want to use it."

Close watch

J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, recently returned from Utah in the Development League, are also likely to be on the bench or inactive. Walker, who was on the bench last night, added a neck tattoo that reads "1023," his street address in Huntington, W.Va., a symbol of his ascent to a professional career. "You always want to have the opportunity to play but you have to be a realist," Walker said. "I am going to be a good teammate and be there to cheer for my guys." In Utah, Walker said, he concentrated on defending and improving his shooting range. "I focused on my 3-point shot, on taking good threes," he said. "Because that makes your percentage go higher. And I focused on my mid-range game and on defense." Giddens (wrist) and Walker (knee) returned to Boston for medical reasons, according to Rivers. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge visited both players in Utah. Walker had played briefly in two games for the Celtics in October and November. "Mr. Ainge told me I could get in better shape and get game experience, instead of wasting away," Walker said.

Horry in no hurry

Robert Horry has discouraged speculation that he could return to the Lakers. "I'm just hanging out with my family, that's all," Horry told former Celtic Rick Fox during an interview in Los Angeles. Fox said Horry could return for the final 15 regular-season games and be ready for the playoffs. "Oh, right," Horry replied.

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at fdellapa@globe.com