Hmm let off the hook Marcus :?
He may now never play again in the green and I would be surprised if he did.
The Celtics were putting in their pressure defense yesterday, but their best defender for that style was on the sideline. It's a position Marcus Banks will take for at least three months and possibly a good deal more following the revelation he has a left shin stress fracture.
``Unfortunately, this is terrible for me,'' Banks said. ``Basically all I can do is sit out and rehab and try to get this thing over.''
The third-year point guard had trouble in the area all of last season and was checked again this past summer by team physician Dr. Brian McKeon when the Celts were in Banks' hometown of Las Vegas for the summer league.
``I probably had four (X-rays) this summer, but I guess it was just forming,'' Banks said. ``I sat out two months this summer to see if it would change anything, but obviously it didn't. I got treatment. I got MRIs. It was starting to get crazy. And it never showed anything, but there was always something there. They just didn't know what it was. First, it was a bone bruise, then it was something else.''
Now it's a prolonged absence for a player heading into the final year of his rookie contract.
Coach Doc Rivers was putting Banks' timetable at ``three months or more. It could be less, but I've heard for me to count on three months. It could be less. They did say that.''
But other team sources said Banks could be out 4-to-5 months.
``I really can't do anything right now besides rest,'' said Banks, who will also get electrical stimulation on the area to promote healing. ``Just rest. That's the only thing that can heal it.''
Adding to the frustration is the fact it doesn't hurt that much.
``I feel nothing,'' he said. ``I feel I can get out there right now and go a full practice, play a game, whatever. I played on it all year last year. The only time it affected me was before I got warmed up. Other than that I was perfectly fine. X-rays show that there's a line there, and I guess I've just got to sit.
``It always bothered me, but I looked over it because that's how bad I wanted to play. I would have done anything to be on the court, so I just kind of pushed it aside. Basically now I'm paying for it.''
By missing a significant portion of this season, Banks may have curtailed his chances for a breakout from the Celts' point guard pack. Delonte West and Dan Dickau have been mentioned more prominently in the preseason, and rookie Orien Greene has widened eyes with his size and defense.
``It's still an opportunity year for me,'' Banks said. ``I'm not really too much worried about that right now. I'll be fine. Everything happens for a reason. I don't know what the reason is. I'm not questioning the reason. All I've got to do is sit back, be strong and support my teammates the best way I know how.''
The opportunities are now for others. ``Dan and Delonte and Orien and Will (Bynum), someone has to step up,'' Rivers said.
``That's the way sports goes. You look at what we were doing today. The one guy that you need in your pressure defense is probably Marcus Banks. But, hey, it's tough for him obviously. A guy gets injured and he's been working really hard. But that just means someone else has to step up.''
He may now never play again in the green and I would be surprised if he did.
The Celtics were putting in their pressure defense yesterday, but their best defender for that style was on the sideline. It's a position Marcus Banks will take for at least three months and possibly a good deal more following the revelation he has a left shin stress fracture.
``Unfortunately, this is terrible for me,'' Banks said. ``Basically all I can do is sit out and rehab and try to get this thing over.''
The third-year point guard had trouble in the area all of last season and was checked again this past summer by team physician Dr. Brian McKeon when the Celts were in Banks' hometown of Las Vegas for the summer league.
``I probably had four (X-rays) this summer, but I guess it was just forming,'' Banks said. ``I sat out two months this summer to see if it would change anything, but obviously it didn't. I got treatment. I got MRIs. It was starting to get crazy. And it never showed anything, but there was always something there. They just didn't know what it was. First, it was a bone bruise, then it was something else.''
Now it's a prolonged absence for a player heading into the final year of his rookie contract.
Coach Doc Rivers was putting Banks' timetable at ``three months or more. It could be less, but I've heard for me to count on three months. It could be less. They did say that.''
But other team sources said Banks could be out 4-to-5 months.
``I really can't do anything right now besides rest,'' said Banks, who will also get electrical stimulation on the area to promote healing. ``Just rest. That's the only thing that can heal it.''
Adding to the frustration is the fact it doesn't hurt that much.
``I feel nothing,'' he said. ``I feel I can get out there right now and go a full practice, play a game, whatever. I played on it all year last year. The only time it affected me was before I got warmed up. Other than that I was perfectly fine. X-rays show that there's a line there, and I guess I've just got to sit.
``It always bothered me, but I looked over it because that's how bad I wanted to play. I would have done anything to be on the court, so I just kind of pushed it aside. Basically now I'm paying for it.''
By missing a significant portion of this season, Banks may have curtailed his chances for a breakout from the Celts' point guard pack. Delonte West and Dan Dickau have been mentioned more prominently in the preseason, and rookie Orien Greene has widened eyes with his size and defense.
``It's still an opportunity year for me,'' Banks said. ``I'm not really too much worried about that right now. I'll be fine. Everything happens for a reason. I don't know what the reason is. I'm not questioning the reason. All I've got to do is sit back, be strong and support my teammates the best way I know how.''
The opportunities are now for others. ``Dan and Delonte and Orien and Will (Bynum), someone has to step up,'' Rivers said.
``That's the way sports goes. You look at what we were doing today. The one guy that you need in your pressure defense is probably Marcus Banks. But, hey, it's tough for him obviously. A guy gets injured and he's been working really hard. But that just means someone else has to step up.''