NEW YORK (AP) - Ray Allen’s injured right ankle kept him out of the Boston Celtics’ lineup Tuesday against the New York Knicks, who could get Amare Stoudemire back on Friday.
Allen took part in the morning shootaround, and Celtics coach Doc Rivers believed he was fine. But Allen said he was already feeling pain and could tell by later in the day he wouldn’t be able to play.
The veteran shooting guard missed his fifth consecutive game. He said running straight is fine, but has trouble moving sideways because of the pain.
“Everything forward is good for me. Shooting is not bad, it’s when I start moving laterally is when I start noticing it, and then there’s like a heavy clunkiness that starts to appear in my ankle coming around screens,” he said. “That’s kind of what starts limiting me and then it stays there.”
Allen said he doesn’t believe he needs any further tests after having an MRI about two weeks ago. He and Rivers both said it was too soon to make a decision about Wednesday against Orlando.
The Celtics were also without swingman Mickael Pietrus, who returned to Boston because of pain in his knee which Rivers assumed came from playing three straight nights after a lengthy absence because of a head injury.
Stoudemire hasn’t played since March 24 because of a bulging disk in his back. He will also sit out Wednesday at New Jersey, but interim Knicks coach Mike Woodson says he could play Friday at Cleveland if he doesn’t have any setbacks after practicing Thursday.
Woodson said Stoudemire was “feeling pretty good” and said he will be in the starting lineup when he returns, rather than bringing him back gradually off the bench.
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