Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff
BOSTON -- Celtics forward Leon Powe looked good in his workout. He feels good. He pleasantly surprised head coach Doc Rivers with the way he is rehabbing from a strained right knee, yet he should not expect to see game action until the NBA Playoffs get underway.
When asked prior to the game against the Heat if Powe might make an appearance in one of the final regular season games, Rivers responded, “No. We’re just not going to take the chance. It is possible, but it’s just not worth taking the chance with Leon. I’m not going to do that.”
Powe said he felt fine after a 30-minute workout with assistant coach Clifford Ray, but Rivers was adamant that the third-year man out of the University of California won’t be getting into game action.
“He’s the biggest risk out of those three playing because of his knee,” River said of Powe. “We won’t take that chance.”
Powe, a 6-foot-8 big man, averaged 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game. He said he’s been jumping, cutting, running, dunking and his soreness has been gradually decreasing. The biggest problem he has is that he doesn’t like playing with a knee brace, which the medical/training staff is forcing him to do.
“They just told me to protect it to make sure I can go the rest of the season without nobody bumping into it and making it twist like what happened,” Powe said.
The knee injury occurred during a game against the Chicago Bulls as guard Ben Gordon fell on Powe’s knee.
Powe, Brian Scalabrine (post concussion syndrome) and Kevin Garnett (strained right knee) will all travel with the team this weekend as they play in Cleveland on Sunday on ABC. None of those three will be available to play against the Cavaliers. Garnett is the lone one of the three who might get playing time prior to the playoffs. The Celtics plan on Powe fully participating in practice -- including full contact -- for the first time on Monday.
* * *
Celtics owners Wyc Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca and Bob Epstein presented guard Ray Allen with the Red Auerbach Award prior to last night’s game. Allen is the fourth recipient in the award’s history. Previous winners were Garnett, Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson.
The Celtics created the award named after legendary former coach, general manager and team president Arnold “Red” Auerbach to honor the player who “best exemplifies the spirit of what it means to be a Celtic.
“I kind of understood just form listening to people talking about the players and the Celtics’ history, now with a championship you know what it really means to embody a Celtic,” Allen said. “And delivering the tradition ourselves, this organization, this team, this group of guys, its an honor everyday to come here and play in front of these fans, so to be able to be recognized is a great honor for me.”
* * *
The Eastern Conference playoff picture remains fluid as the Celtics (60-19) and Orlando Magic (58-21) entered play tonight within a game of each other (Orland lost to New York last night). Boston finishes up the regular season by traveling to Cleveland on Sunday before playing in Philadelphia on Tuesday and wrapping up the regular season at home on Wednesday against the Washington Wizards.
Orlando closes the regular season with games at New Jersey on Saturday, at Milwaukee on Monday, and at home against Charlotte on Wednesday.
At the other end of the playoff picture, the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons occupy the final four playoff spots in the Eastern Conference race. All four teams came into play tonight separated by three games.