Celtics unsure about Allen's return from ankle injury

BOSTON—It was no surprise, before the Celtics tipped off against the Heat at TD Garden, that they would be without Ray Allen.

In fact, it’s getting to the point where the Celtics are expecting Allen not to play, rather than to return to the lineup.

On Tuesday morning, Allen said that MRI scans of his troublesome right ankle, which has now kept him out of 14 games for Boston, showed that he has bone spurs. Celtics coach Doc Rivers expressed concern about the slowness with which the ankle has healed. In the meantime, Rivers said, nothing new had been uncovered about the ankle.

“It’s the same,” Rivers said. “We don’t know anything. It’s a concern, like I said, but other than that, we just have to wait and see.”

After Allen returned from his ankle injury the first time, in early April, the Celtics hoped to incorporate him into the rotation off the bench, a new role for Allen, because Avery Bradley had played well in the starting five. Allen, shooting 45.3 percent on 3-pointers, played four games as sixth man before the ankle became too painful to play on again.

The Celtics have one more game on the docket before the playoffs start this weekend, on Thursday against Milwaukee. There is a chance that the Celtics could be playing for home-court advantage in the first round in that one, and Rivers said he expects to have many of his injured players—Kevin Garnett (hip flexor), Rajon Rondo (back), Greg Stiemsma (foot) and Mickael Pietrus (knee) all sat out against Miami—back on the floor for that one. But Allen is unlikely.

“We’d play them because they will be rested,” Rivers said. “Except for if a guy is injured, he’s injured. Ray couldn’t play in that game. I am hoping (Pietrus) will be able to play. Rondo should be able to play. But they’re all should and woulds, but there’s no definites. That’s just the way it is right now.”