The Perpetually Injured Jermaine O'Neal
My back, no my hamstring, no my wrist, no my other wrist |
“Yeah, there is (concern),” Rivers said before the game. “(O’Neal) hasn’t been able to get on the floor, obviously. It’s not going to happen tonight and maybe not for the first couple of practices, so there is some concern about opening night and what he can do for us.There are some guys that play and others that get injured all the damn time. One thing that made Michael Jordan great was that he simply played. A hurt wrist or the flu didn't sideline him. On the other hand Chris Webber was a great player, but would miss a ton of games. When evaluating players too often people look at stats, but rarely do they look at games played... and they need to. Marquis Daniels if he didn't get injured all the time would be a fantastic 7th man. But he's going to get injured. He always does. Same with Jermaine O'Neal. Here's more from the Herald:
“JO and I were just talking, and it was, after the first day of training camp, you’re never healthy again. You have to get something. But how much can you function? It’s what you’re going through the rest of the year.”
From his left hamstring to his left wrist and now to his back, it’s been difficult to keep track of every injury that has nagged Jermaine O’Neal during training camp.
The difficult part about the center’s plight now, according to Rivers, is that more down time may call into question just how much O’Neal can contribute once the Celtics open their season.
Look sometimes guys get seriously injured, but there are also a group of soft ass players in the NBA (actually all sports.. cough JD Drew). There are guys I wait to see make plays and guys I wait to see get injured. Like when Marquis ran into Reggie Evans the other night. I knew he would miss a game.
For the record, Larry Bird couldn't stand Jermaine O'Neal and I take him as a great judge of work ethic and heart. O'Neal is very well spoken in interviews, but that's just talk. Man up and suit up and play. You get paid big money. You can deal with some pain. I'm sure if Kendrick Perkins had your minor injuries, he'd be out there. This isn't the Heat, Raptors, or Pacers you're on anymore. This is the Celtics. We're going for #18, so please sack up asap. Thanks.