BOSTON – Barring an unexpected setback, Evan Turner should be able to return to action this weekend for the Celtics. While the Celtics would certainly love to have him back Friday game at home against Milwaukee, there’s a chance that he may not suit up until Saturday against the Hawks in Atlanta.
“We’re just being cautious with Evan, making sure he’s Okay,” Danny Ainge, Celtics president of basketball operations, said on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich show. “Giving him a few more days. I do think Evan will play this weekend.”
Turner did not play in Boston’s 104-97 win over New Orleans Wednesday night after sustaining a left eye abrasion in the closing seconds of a 107-100 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Prior to the Pelicans win, Turner was optimistic about his return being sooner rather than later.
“I’m fine,” Turner said. “Give it a few days rest. The plan is to play this weekend.”
The injury proved to be significantly less severe than what Turner initially thought.
In the closing seconds of the win over the Lakers, Turner was going for a loose ball following a Kobe Bryant miss. On the play, he was hit in the eye by Lakers forward Julius Randle and went down almost immediately, holding the left side of his face.
“I thought that bad boy [eye ball] had come out,” Turner said. “All I saw was black. I was kind of freaking out. I thought of “Any Given Sunday” when the eye came out on the field.”
Unsure of the damage to his eye, Turner wasn’t about to let that be the lasting image folks had of him if it turned out to be a potential career-ending injury.
“I just ran off the court. I didn’t want to be on the court crying,” he said. “I crawled up in the fetal position for like eight seconds. I can’t go out like this. If I’m gonna cry out my good eye, it’s going to be in the back. That’s why I ran to the back.”
While the recovery is on schedule, Turner said he’ll likely wear protective goggles when he does return to the court.
“I think that will be the smartest thing,” Turner said. “Not the Kurt Rambis type; maybe find an MC Hammer set. I want them to be a little more nicer.”
Trending