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The Celtics came into last night’s game focused on the fact that first place in the Atlantic Division was on the line. They left knowing there was something far more important at stake. Mickael Pietrus was taken from the arena on a stretcher after crashing to the court with 5:08 left in the second quarter of a 99-86 loss to the 76ers. He was taken to the hospital with what was termed a “closed head injury.” “He’s already had an X-ray (and) CT (scan). He’s doing an MRI right now” – Celtics coach Doc Rivers said a few minutes after the game ended. “So that’s all we know. They’re going to hold him overnight, but that’s all I can give you right now.” The team later said Pietrus was not admitted to the hospital, but did stay in Philadelphia overnight. He will be re-evaluated today. Pietrus was pulled backward by Lou Williams as he put up a drive from high in the lane. He did not appear to hit his head on the court, but there was a severe jolt and he immediately reached for that part of his body. He remained on the floor for several minutes as physicians attended to him. Pietrus, who started in place of guard Ray Allen (right ankle), was immobilized before being put onto the stretcher. Kevin Garnett (standing beside the medical crew) raised his arms and began to clap as Pietrus was set in place. The crowd picked up on it and followed suit. Williams came up to the Celts afterward and, according to Rivers, said: “Tell Piet good luck. I didn’t do it on purpose.” Rivers added: “It wasn’t an intentional play. I mean, things just happen in sports.

Mickael Pietrus.

With the division lead at stake, the 76ers dominated like a team that deserved to stay in first.
The Boston Celtics were more concerned about a teammate than the standings.
Elton Brand scored 20 points, and Spencer Hawes had 12 points and 10 rebounds to help Philadelphia keep its grip atop the Atlantic Division with a 99-86 victory over the Celtics on Friday night.
The Celtics would have grabbed first with a win, knocking out a Sixers team that has held that spot for all but a few days this season. The Sixers outscored Boston by 20 points in the third quarter to take control.
There was a serious scare when Celtics guard Mickael Pietrus left on a stretcher and was sent to the hospital after an awkward collision late in the first half. He was listed as having a questionable closed head injury. Pietrus landed hard on his tailbone, and his head nearly smacked the court. He instantly clutched the back of his head with both hands and rolled over on his side.
Coach Doc Rivers said Pietrus had X-rays and an MRI. Pietrus also was scheduled for an MRI on Friday night, but the team said he will not be admitted to the hospital. Pietrus will spend the night in Philadelphia and be re-evaluated Saturday.
The Sixers wore down a Celtics team concerned about its injured teammate and already playing short-handed. Pietrus started in place of Ray Allen, who sat out with a sore left ankle. Guard Avery Bradley also left Boston’s eighth straight road game with a sprained left ankle.
“I thought the injury, fatigue, everything, kind of all caught up to us” – Rivers said.
But it was Pietrus, more than the score, that left the Celtics solemn on the bench. He crashed to the court after he collided with 76ers guard Lou Williams on a drive down the lane, grabbed his head and was down for at least 10 minutes. Trainers from both teams tended to him.
The Celtics circled Pietrus, and a couple of players took a knee as the swingman was put on a stretcher and taken out. Several Celtics sat on the bench with their heads bowed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQs8QHjArV4

The scenario was reminiscent of an incident involving the Celtics’ Marquis Daniels, who returned to play this season after undergoing spinal surgery.
Daniels appeared to be strongly affected by this incident, kneeling near Pietrus and bowing his head. The crowd quieted, then followed Kevin Garnett’s lead in applauding as Pietrus was wheeled off the court.
The teams returned to action after nearly a 10-minute delay, with Ryan Hollins, making his Celtics debut, converting one free throw awarded for the foul drawn by Pietrus.
Spectators at the Wells Fargo Center kept the volume low for the rest of the half. But the Sixers outscored the Celtics, 37-17, in the third quarter.
“First thing (Williams and the Sixers) said was ‘tell (Pietrus) good luck, I didn’t do it on purpose.’ It didn’t look like an intentional play” – said Rivers.
“I mean, things just happen in sports. For the team that it happens to, it’s really tough. Everything’s going wrong right now. We have a resilient group. I’m so proud of our team. We keep just sustaining injuries and guys still are trying to play and win.
“It’s maddening. We’re passing the tests, that’s all we can do. It’s tough, every night, it just seems like right now, and what’s amazing it has nothing to do with age, which people predicted. It’s the young guys. You know, things happen. I just keep telling them, we decided to be that grind team, we’ve got to just keep doing it.”
“He took a hard fall, I don’t know the extent of his injury” – said Celtics’ captain Paul Pierce, who along with Garnett had 20 points. “It’s always tough when you see your fellow NBA player, regardless of who it is. When you catch somebody laying there on the ground, you know, not moving, they get carried off the floor on a stretcher, you know, it’s tough.
“Any sport. I’m a sports fan – whenever you see that you feel for the person and the families. Those are the things that can be career-threatening type of things and you see it all the time. I hope he makes a speedy recovery. It’s hard to see. Who wants to see somebody laying there in agony? Nobody wants to see a guy lying there.”
Pierce said the Celtics, 4-4 on this trip and now 25-22 overall, were prepared for the game, despite the loss of Allen.
But the 76ers surged back after trailing, 49-43, at the half to put the game away in the third. Elton Brand had 20 points and Williams got 19. Jrue Holiday finished 15 points, Andre Iguodala had 14 and Spencer Hawes had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds as Philadelphia moved to 27-21.
“We’ve been presented with a challenge throughout the year” – Pierce said. “One guy goes down, another guy has to be ready to play. That’s no excuse, I mean we’ve won games with guys sitting down before. It’s just an excuse. We had our opportunity to take advantage. In the past we’ve been in this situation and just stepped up. We just sort of took a step back. To lose that way, to a division rival – we took a step back tonight.”