Boston Celtics: Shaq's Injury Adds To Beantown's No. 1 Worry for the Postseason

During the NBA season (this one in particular) the media thrive on turning any streak, incident or game into a story that bears greater significance than what is actually taking place. 

Will the Heat beat the Bulls' season record (a genius perspective by Jeff Van Gundy and Co.)? Are the Lakers too old? Are the Mavericks now the team to beat in the West (yeah, right)? 

I won't delve into my extensive opinion on some of these stories because we'll end up not discussing anything else. Let's just say that it often becomes difficult for the average fan to separate fact from fiction with all this “news.” 

The Celtics are not new to these manufactured stories. Since the real big three of this era first came together, the Celtics have put several falsehoods to bed. 

It is this time of the year, during a rough stretch of games, that the questions begin to pop up again. 

Last season's most popular question/claim: Are the Celtics too old?

This season's most popular question/claim: Are the Celtics too old? 

The festering of this claim hit its peak last season with multiple “analysts” picking the Bosh-less, James-less Heat to beat the Celtics in the first round. 

How a team that almost made the Eastern Conference Finals the year before without Kevin Garnett and one that had won the championship two years before was suddenly so ancient that they weren't going to get past a mediocre team like the Heat (at the time) will never cease to amaze me. Once again, I could talk about this forever. 

Naturally, the age factor still continues to circle around the Celtics in they eyes of the media. 

The Celtics may be running out of years to prove that they have the will, work ethic and luck to defy time (my guess is after next season), but they won't be running out this year. 

While their young PG is atop the league in assists, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are having the best shooting years of their careers. Some statistics don't tell the whole story but it's hard to cloud 49.4 and 49.0 percent in the (potential) twilight of two HOF careers. 

The Celtics will, once again, let their play do the talking. The type of play that every year reminds fans that the great teams “have another gear.” The Spurs will likely remind us of that this season while the Lakers have already done so. 

Kevin Garnett will remind us that somehow he can be more intense than he already is and the Celtics, as they've done in the past, will bring as much energy to each game as any team. 

Without drudging up speculation, let's talk a little truth heading in the postseason. 

The Celtics have a big man problem. 

The Celtics made it through the majority of the season without the services of Kendrick Perkins. 

They began the season in championship form. With their new acquisitions, particularly Shaq, Perk's absence was much less noticeable. 

In Shaq, the Celtics got the physical big man they wanted for another playoff run, along with another O'Neal for insurance. They were also ensured a lot of headaches. 

After missing 26 games with an Achilles injury (attribute at least a game of the span to the Diesel falling on ice, re-aggravating a hip injury—priceless) Shaq finally returned on April 3...for roughly five-and-a-half minutes, anyway. 

As of now, the official word on Shaq is a right calf strain. 

The Celtics are saying that the injury is not severe and although Shaq is out indefinitely, Doc Rivers doesn't think he will miss much time, according to CSN New England. 

Rivers wants to make sure Shaq gets a little time in before the playoffs, but there is no certainty that his wish will come true. 

Jermaine O'Neal was out for 33 games before returning to the court last week, right around when Nenad Krstic got his first injury (knee) as a Celtic. 

The Celtics are second to last in rebounds per game. 

The fact that Boston has been able to overcome this weakness time and time again is a testament to the strength of all their other areas. But is it something that will eventually lead to their demise? 

If Shaq can't stay healthy, the answer is yes.

I don't believe I am going out on a limb by saying that the primary concerns for the Celtics are the Bulls (second in rebounds) and the Lakers (third in rebounds). 

Though the concept of Dwight Howard (Magic—sixth in rebounds) isn't exactly comforting if Shaq runs into more problems, I find the Bulls and Lakers to be more threatening all around. 

Since I spent the summer continuously using the Perkins injury as the sole reason for the Celtics losing to LA in the NBA Finals, I have to back that up now, don't I? 

Crap. 

JO and Krstic are not enough to put a dent in the rebounding gap, but Shaq has proven that age has failed to prevent him from being an imposing force in the post (325 lbs of force, that is). 

With Delonte West beginning to look fully recovered, the Celtics have ample depth and what will be a week first-round matchup to fill the remaining holes in chemistry. 

With every other area seemingly well-rounded, Shaq's health could end up being the most important factor for the Celtics' bid at banner 18.