Health A Huge Factor For Pierce, Celtics

Paul Pierce admitted Friday that the sprained MCL in his left knee he suffered in the first round of the playoffs last season was beyond immediate treatment, but affirmed he’s entering the 2012-13 season at 100 percent after an offseason of conditioning and strengthening.
With a new season about to begin and Pierce not getting any younger, the conversation quickly turned to minutes. Pierce said he doesn’t have a number in mind that he would like to play each night, opting instead for allowing coach Doc Rivers to monitor that part of the equation.
“I’m going to listen to my body,” the soon-to-be 35-year-old Pierce said. “(Doc is) going to kind of watch how the game is going, how I’m playing. If I can still play at a high level, who knows what that number may be. Doc has always found a good balance at finding that number.”
“I think the key for us, if we’re going to win another championship, is going to be our health,” Pierce said. “You have to be good, you have to be lucky, sometimes over things you can’t control, as you saw. Since our first year we won it, we haven’t been lucky enough to be healthy, so hopefully we’re healthy this year and we can make another run at it.”