NBA Playoffs 2012: Will Paul Pierce's Injury Affect Boston Celtics Chances?

Sometimes the truth hurts and for the Boston Celtics, the Truth is hurting in a big way.

After picking up what seemed to be just an innocuous injury in their opening round win over the Atlanta Hawks, Paul "The Truth" Pierce is finally starting to show just how much his knee is affecting him.

We saw it in the Celtics' Game 2 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, where Pierce was two-from-nine from the floor and took just two free throws the entire game. He turned the ball over five times and his impact on the match was severely limited.

His trajectory is suffering, as he cannot get the elevation he once had. His movement on the court and particularly to the basket is limited and it's starting to affect the Celtics. His MCL is sprained and Boston doesn't seem to be coping with it.

Having said all that, it's important to note that Paul Pierce is a fighter—his mental approach will be to not let the injury affect him and not let it get the better of him.

But at the moment, he doesn't seem to be winning that fight and the Philadelphia 76ers know it.

Speaking to ESPN, veteran bench player for the Sixers Tony Battie said:

"

I know he's hurt, but Paul's definitely not going to ever admit that to anyone. You can see it—his shot is a little flat, his knee is bothering him, and he's had some foot problems, and his lift isn't 100 percent. But he's still the heart and soul of that team.

"

So with Pierce limited on both ends of the court and Philly well aware of it, the real question remains then as to how his injury is going to affect Boston's chances at clinching the series and moving through to the Eastern Conference finals.

The answer? A lot.

Simply put, Pierce's injury has to affect the Celtics. His impact on their team is immense and his ability on both ends of the court are being sorely missed.

Philadelphia is attacking him more when he defends, as his injury affects his ability to slide well. They're making sure that Pierce doesn't get to the free throw line meaning that if he wants points, he's going to have to use his knee to get them.

On the Celtics' end, the impact is also felt, as Boston need a new go-to man other than Rajon Rondo. Kevin Garnett is filling the void nicely for the time being, must one must question whether the trademark fadeaway shot can carry Boston through the remainder of the series.

The C's defied many critics by making it to the playoffs and now that they're here, they must defy them again to win without a healthy Paul Pierce. They will no doubt be tested, but with Rondo and Garnett still firing, Boston's chances are nowhere near done.

Pierce's injury does hamper their offensive capabilities and it will hurt them on defense at times, but not having his presence there would hurt their side even more. Doc Rivers will continue to manage the injury well—as he has done with the entirety of his aging roster this year.

Game 3 could well be a defining game for Boston, who must win to claim back the home-court advantage they squandered in Game 2.

Tip-off is 7PM ET on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia where Paul Pierce, along with the rest of the Celtics, will be there trying to take the lead in this playoff series.

On one knee and all.

Follow Dan on Twitter: Follow @dantalintyre