The Celtics will be without starting center Kendrick Perkins for tonight’s winner-takes-all game seven.
Perkins got tangled with Andrew Bynum while fighting for a rebound in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game and landed awkwardly. Perkins told reporters he tore the medial collateral and posterior cruciate ligaments in his right knee — an MRI will be taken Friday to confirm that diagnosis. Depending on the severity of the tears and his course of treatment, Perkins may not be available for the start of next season.
Losing Perkins could put the Celtics at a significant disadvantage against the Lakers’ massive front line, but LA’s center has his own knee problems. Andrew Bynum has been playing with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Due to in part to the injury, Bynum has been wildly inconsistent in this series — dominant at times and invisible at others. If the knee acts up tonight, the Lakers’ front line will be a lot less imposing.
With Perkins unavailable, the Celtics will be forced to rely more heavily on Rasheed Wallace, Glen Davis and possibly Shelden Williams, though Doc Rivers has dropped hints that he could use a small-ball lineup at times as well.
Game Seven tips off at 9pm ET (TV: ABC).
Perkins Out for Game Seven originally appeared on About.com Basketball on Thursday, June 17th, 2010 at 10:41:48.
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