As first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Celtics’ center Aron Baynes suffered a broken left hand in the first quarter of tonight’s game against the Suns and will undergo surgery.
The team has since confirmed the report, adding that the big man has been diagnosed with a left fourth metacarpal fracture and is out indefinitely.
While no timetable for his return has been set, Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports opines, based upon secondhand knowledge, that surgery will probably go forward tomorrow (depending on level of swelling) and Baynes should be reevaluated in about a month.
With the Celtics already facing an injury for starting big man Al Horford, who remains out with patellofemoral pain syndrome in his left knee, rookie big man Robert Williams will likely be looked upon to step up and play more minutes. Daniel Theis should see more playing time as well.
The Celtics also have an open two-way roster spot that they could use to sign someone with size and/or an interior presence, but there haven’t been any rumors of an imminent signing thus far.
have there been any updates regarding Horford? I actually also have/suffer from patellofemoral pain syndrome (old baseball related injury) and it’s something that basically isn’t fixable… there is a surgery that “sometimes works” but just regular old “rest” which is the first ‘treatment’ option is still only a ‘bandaid solution’ as it just makes the pain lessen… it doesn’t actually fix the problem. It’s been almost 10 years since I was first diagnosed and I still can’t take a round of batting practice (as an example) without significant pain — so my worry is that Horford may not really ever be able to return to full strength. It is something you can usually “fight through” but even then… it becomes a (lifelong) pain management issue — not something that will just heal and be done with.
All the google results agree with you. I wonder if the knee hurts worse running or bodying up in the paint (F or C).
It’s a good thing for the Celts that Rbt Williams fell to them in the draft! But Horford will be picking up his $30mil option I’m sure.