Leon Powe Out For Remainder Of Playoffs

Celtics Forward Leon Powe, who left Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals with an undisclosed knee injury, will not be able to return for the rest of the playoffs. After further tests, it was determined the Powe had suffered a torn ACL in his left knee.

Powe missed a season in college when he underwent reconstructive surgery on the same knee in 2004. He also suffered a minor injury to his right knee earlier this season.

The injury comes at a bad time for both Powe and the Celtics. Powe is a free agent this coming off-season, and would have seen increased playing time with the Kevin Garnett injury. It also probably confirms the fears of the teams that didn't draft him in the first round (all of them), that Powe's knees are not durable enough to invest starter-type money in the former Pac-10 force.

Meanwhile, the Celtics, who barely avoided a 2-0 hole on Ray Allen's clutch shot, must now turn to either Brian Scalabrine (who might play in Game 3), or Mikki Moore (whose -15 rating was among the worst of any Celtic who playied in Game 2) to back up Big Baby Davis, himself a spot starter for Garnett.

Boston must now go on the road to try and salvage a series that some thought would be a cakewalk. However, there is some good news for Celtics fans. Rajon Rondo, who will not practice tomorrow due to an ankle injury, is expected to play in Game 3. If his play in Game 2 is any indication (Rondo completed a dominant triple-double after returning from the injury), Rajon should be ok.

Powe was not as critical a piece of the Celitics as Garnett was. Ray Allen seems to have found his touch, and the C's superior talent finally broke through for a win in Game 2. And with the series tied, a victory in Chicago would restore home court advange. But with out Garnett, who provided solid interior defense as well as leadership and scoring, the Celtics' Pyrrhic victory in Game 2 was not what Boston fans were looking for.