Ratliff Likely Through for the Season

The Herald Insider is reporting this:

Celtics center Theo Ratliff said today that “all indications” are that he will have back surgery sometime in the next two weeks for a herniated disc that will almost certainly end his first season with the Celtics.

Ratliff said the surgery is minimally evasive, but that the recovery time of six weeks, plus the six more weeks it would take to get back in basketball shape, would mean the earliest he could return to the floor would be April. Given the team’s current standing, it seems unlikely the Celtics would push him back whether they were headed for a playoff series at that point or not.

Ratliff said he does plan to be back at full health for next season.

Coach Doc Rivers said after today’s practice that he had not heard definitive word on the surgery decision, but that he was not surprised by Ratliff’s statements. Rivers has said since Ratliff went down with a second bout of back pain that he doubted the 13-year veteran would return this year.

I have been expecting him to consider surgery when it hasn’t been improving by other means. I would also be surprised if he is a big factor next season if he does come back. Possibly a 3rd string 11.6 million dollar expiring contract. I expect Perk to rebound from his foot injury and have a very solid second half of the season as long as Doc gives him minutes. Hopefully Doc will play Perk and Al together more as good things happen when they are on the floor together. Then he can play Powe and Gomes on the second team. Powe with his long arms and leaping ability could do a decent job as back up center if Doc would give him the chance.

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