Finally, some good news on the injury front for the Celtics, who will welcome back Jared Sullinger.
The 6-foot-9 forward, the team’s leading scorer at the time of his foot injury, will be available for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Celtics said Sullinger's "metatarsal stress fracture has healed completely."
“We are excited that Jared’s recovery progressed quicker than initially expected,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said in a statement. “Jared was extremely diligent in his rehab, repeatedly expressing his eagerness to help our team reach the postseason. He will be available in a limited role this weekend as he works his way back to 100% game shape."
The return of Sullinger comes at a time when the Celtics (34-41) find themselves nestled in a tightly contested race towards the playoffs.
Boston is currently a half-game behind Brooklyn for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Sullinger’s impact on the team’s rotation remains to be seen, but in all likelihood his return will signal fewer minutes for Jonas Jerebko.
While his return is ahead of schedule, the Celtics wouldn’t be willing to put him back on the floor if they didn’t think he had healed to a point where he could contribute without doing further damage to his foot.
Boston Celtics
“Anytime you have a foot injury in this league, you want to be cautious and correct about coming back at the right time,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said on 98.5 the Sports Hub Friday afternoon.
“I think it’s great that he is fully healed, number one. He got out of the boot a couple of weeks ago, and has been X-rayed and MRI’d almost every other week, and the healing has been fantastic," Stevens said in the radio interview. "He’s been on the court a little bit, doing some up-and-down and 1-on-1 work, but we haven’t had a chance to practice so he hasn’t engaged on 5-on-5 like he will in a game.
Ainge had been critical of Sullinger's conditioning earlier this season. Stevens told 98.5 The Sports Hub that Sullinger "is in much better condition."
“Change happens over the course of a long period of time, but from everything I’ve watched he’s working at a great level and is in much better condition than he’s been," Stevens said in the radio interview. "I’ve read and seen some things where he’s been very accountable...Here is a guy who wants to be a part of this team and help this team. He came into my office yesterday and said he wanted to help in any way he can. That’s a great thing for a pretty accomplished young player to come in and say.”