Leon Powe Out for Remainder of Playoffs

Celtics forward Leon Powe, who left Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with an undisclosed knee injury, will not be able to return for the rest of the playoffs. After further tests, it was determined that Powe had suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.

Powe missed a season in college when he underwent reconstructive surgery on the same knee in 2004. He also suffered a minor injury to his right knee earlier this season.

The injury comes at a bad time for both Powe and the Celtics. Powe is a free agent this coming offseason, and would have seen increased playing time with the Kevin Garnett injury.

It also pretty much confirms the fears of the teams that didn't draft him in the first round (which is all of them) that his knees are not durable enough to invest starter-type money in the former Pac-10 force.

Meanwhile, the Celtics, who barely avoided a 2-0 hole in the series on Ray Allen's clutch shot, must now turn to either Brian Scalabrine (who might play in Game Three), or Mikki Moore (whose -15 rating was among the worst of any Celtic who played in Game Two) to back up Glen “Big Baby” Davis, who is a spot starter for Garnett.

Boston must now go on the road to try to salvage a series that some thought would be a cakewalk.

However, there is some good news for Celtics fans. Rajon Rondo, who will not practice tomorrow due to an ankle injury, is expected to play in Game Three. If his play in Game Two is any indication (Rondo completed a dominant triple-double after returning from the injury), Rondo should be okay.

When it comes down to it, Powe was not as critical a piece of the Celtics as Garnett was. But Ray Allen seems to have found his touch, and the C's superior talent finally broke through for a win in Game Two. And with the series tied, a victory in Chicago would restore home court advantage. But without Garnett, who provided solid interior defense as well as leadership and scoring, the Celtics' Pyrrhic victory in Game Two was not what Boston fans were looking for.