Nuggets at Celtics
The Boston Celtics are off to another quick start, but injuries may force them out of the fast lane for a while.
The Celtics could be without point guard Rajon Rondo and center Shaquille O’Neil when they host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
Neither practiced Tuesday, and Boston coach Doc Rivers said they are “iffy’’ to play Wednesday. Rivers also hinted Rondo could miss extended time.
The Celtics (16-4) lead the Eastern Conference and have won seven straight. The Nuggets (13-7) had their seven-game winning streak snapped with a 100-98 loss at Charlotte on Tuesday.
O’Neal left Sunday’s 100-75 victory over the Nets with a calf injury, while Rondo did not play as he battles plantar fasciitis and a strained left hamstring.
The Celtics are already decimated at the center position, with Jermaine O’Neal likely out until the end of December and Kendrick Perkins until early February with knee injuries. Also, guard Delonte West is out until March with a broken wrist.
Also among the seven players to miss practice Tuesday were Glen Davis (102 degree temperature) and Nate Robinson (death in the family).
Rondo leads the NBA in assists with 14.1 per game, while O’Neal has started the 15 games he has played, and has contributed 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 22.1 minutes. O’Neal missed five games earlier this season with a knee injury.
If O’Neal doesn’t play, the Celtics will have to rely on Semih Erden, a 7-foot rookie center from Turkey who played 18-plus minutes against the Nets and had four points and six rebounds. He is averaging 3.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.1 minutes.
The Celtics have gotten more consistency out of Davis. He is putting his 6-9, 289-pound frame to good use down low with 11.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 29.1 minutes.
Despite their ailments, the Celtics are third in the NBA in points allowed at 92.1 per game. And they still have the Big Three – Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The trio is averaging a combined 50.4 points, and always gives the Celtics a chance to win.
The Nuggets are also thin in the frontcourt without Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin. Both are expected to return around Christmas.
Martin hasn’t played this season as he recovers from knee surgery, while Anderson suffered a small fracture in his lower vertebra Friday. He has played only five games after missing the first 13 with a knee injury.
Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony is 22-for-72 from the field (30.6 percent) in his last four games.
The Celtics were also 16-4 last season, which followed back-to-back 18-2 starts.
The Nuggets and Celtics split their two meetings last season, with each team winning at home.
Nuggets coach George Karl was denied Tuesday in his first bid to become the seventh coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games. He is attempting to join Don Nelson (1,335 wins), Lenny Wilkens (1,332), Pat Riley (1,210), Jerry Sloan (1,206), Phil Jackson (1,113) and Larry Brown (1,097).