Celtics' Rookie Romeo Langford Tears Ligaments in Wrist, May Miss Playofffs
Stop me if you've heard this before, but Boston Celtics rookie and former Indiana basketball player Romeo Langford has another injury to his shooting hand.
According to Celtics coach Brad Stevens, Langford has torn ligaments in his right wrist and might miss the NBA playoffs, which start Monday. Stevens said Saturday that Langford's injury might require surgery, but it's too early to tell.
“We’re still going through the process of determining next step with him,” Stevens said during his Saturday Zoom press conference. “I don’t know if that means that, down the road, he’ll have to take time off, if that means he’ll have to have it worked on, but they’re determining and we’re still in the process of determining how he feels and whether or not he’ll be available or not. I’d say it’s questionable.”
Langford, the 14th overall pick by the Celtics in the first round a year, had a torn ligament in his right thumb last year during his only season in Bloomington. He played through for most of the season, but shut it down late and missed Indiana's last three games in the NIT tournament.
He needed surgery on the thumb in the offseason, and he's struggled to find a home in the Celtics' regular rotation this far. He played in 32 games, but scored only 79 points all season, getting off to a slow start because of the thumb rehab, and he also had a few ankle injuries, which forced him to shuttle back and forth between the Celtics and their G-League team in Portland, Maine.
But he had been playing better of late, especially defensively, and it looked like he might play a small role in the Celtics' playoff run.
Not now, more than likely.
“He’d be better able to answer the emotional roller coaster you go on when you experience those injuries and those setbacks, and it’s always been significant enough that it’s been at least a portion of time, not just a day here or there,” Stevens said. “So that stinks. I feel for him.''
Stephens likes what he has in Langford, and he understands the frustration he's gone through during his injury-riddled rookie season.
"He is a hard working guy, he’s a tough guy and I think he’s got a bright, bright future,'' Stevens said. "Again, I hope that he’s able to play, but that’s going to be totally dependent on our doctors and dependent on his pain.
"He’s going to have to test that and get used to it and see what it feels like. If not, then we’ll have him back when we have him back.”
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