Avery Bradley getting 2nd set of X-rays, doubtful for tomorrow's game in Detroit
Doc Rivers says Avery Bradley is currently getting a 2nd set of X-Rays on his bruised ribs. He considers Bradley as "doubtful" for tomorrow.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 19, 2013
Injury speculation is dumb, so I won't go crazy trying to over analyze this. But in general, a 2nd set of X-rays means there was something inconclusive in the first. Rib injuries are notoriously difficult to pick up on X-rays, so hopefully the Celtics and Bradley are just being extra cautious.
No matter what the prognosis, the Celtics need to hope that Bradley comes back soon. It's becoming increasingly clear as we near the half-way point of the season just how important he is to the C's. A few simplistic numbers:
31 games without him: 14-17 record, 98.1 points allowed per game. Allowed 100+ points 15 times in 31 games.
8 games with him: 6-2 record, 86.8 points allowed per game. Allowed 100+ points 0 times in 8 games.
Last night's game vs Chicago was actually a strong defensive effort without Bradley, despite the fact that the Bulls ended up with exactly 100 points. So hopefully the team can build upon that a bit.
But long term the C's need Bradley back if they want any hope of a deep playoff run.
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