Jermaine O’Neal Will Make Final Decision on Knee Surgery by Tuesday

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Jan 14, 2011

Earlier this week, when Jermaine O'Neal missed Wednesday night's game against Sacramento with another aggravation of his sore left knee, speculation was that the Celtics' veteran center would need surgery to fully repair the ailment. Now, O'Neal speaks, and he says he's not so sure.

O'Neal has spoken with multiple doctors this week, including Celtics team physician Brian McKeon, but he's still yet to make a final decision on whether to go under the knife. He says he still wants one more opinion, so he'll make one last medical appointment Monday before making a final decision on Tuesday.

"Surgery is the worst-case scenario for me," O'Neal said before the Celtics' game Friday night against the Charlotte Bobcats. "It's the thing that I 'have to do.' If it's going to elevate me and get me out of this mode, then I'm all for it. But if you can't guarantee me that it's going to get me out of this, then I'm not going to do it."

"I think it's the right course of action," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said of O'Neal putting off his decision until Tuesday. "Surgery could mean never playing again. You never know. He's trying to figure out a way, and we're trying to figure out a way, with Dr. McKeon and everybody, to get him on the floor. Even if it's got to be, worst-case scenario, the way it's been, where he plays four or five games and then has to sit out."

O'Neal's knee has been a constant disruption since the beginning of the preseason back in early October. He missed four of the Celtics' eight exhibition games, and he missed seven weeks in November and December because of the knee. He has played in only 17 of the Celtics' 38 regular-season games.

But the 32-year-old big man still hopes to fight through the pain and be an impact player without needing surgery first.

"My preference is to play," he said. "Play, get through it, take the meds that I need to take to play. You don't get this opportunity very often.

"It's a difficult position to be in, to make decisions now that you may have to pay for down the road. But sometimes it's worth it. It's hard to find a situation like this, where you have a team that's legitimately supposed to win it and a great fan base that supports you no matter what. So you want to do well, and you want to support the team."

While O'Neal says he considered playing Friday night against Charlotte, he'll instead take the cautious approach and keep his body safe between now and his doctor's appointment next week.

"I'm going to spend the next couple days just working out," he said. "It may not be running or jumping, but you know, cardiovascular stuff. Because if I make the decision on Tuesday not to have surgery, then I'm playing on Wednesday."

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