Tony's return to form?

[DERRENMATTS]

Tony Allen is one of my favorite Celtics players. But at this very moment, taking off my homer cap for a second, I'm wondering if I'm setting myself up for a let down by thinking that Tony will return to form.

His first knee surgery was an orthoscopic procedure, to take out loose debris, if I remember correctly (and someone correct me if I'm wrong). He was able to make a full recovery and perform like a player on the cusp of being an All-Star consideration. But his second knee injury is much more serious, and far worse than his first injury. He damaged his ACL and ICL (again, correct me if I'm wrong). This is a lot harder to recover from than an orthoscopic surgery.

Players nowadays seem to be able to make a full recovery after having ACL surgeries, and I'm really hoping Tony is one of them.

He's a big boost off the bench if he can play like he did last season.

[goceltics34]

Hopefully by mid-season we'll see the real Tony Allen. I think it's going to be tough mentally to gain confidence in the knee. I could see him being a little hesitant at first, but we need his defensive presence and his swagger on the court.

[rockinrondo]

I can speak from experience, I have torn both my left and right ACL'S. The last being my left in 2005. The doc cut strands from my patella tendon and drilled holes in the bone where my ACL was, and threaded the patella strands through, and put plastic nuts on the ends, to make a new ACL. I went through six months of grueling physical therapy, and it was another year before my knee/leg was back to full strength. The doc say's it is stronger now because tendons are stronger than ligaments. I think as a basic rule, it is the second season when professional athlete's get back to where they were, before the ACL injury. I think alot of it is mental, just starting to not think about the knee every time you leap into the air, wondering if it can handle landing. When I tore my right one the first time, I was a freshman at MSU, and it ment the end of my career, the doc just put my leg in a cast for,I think three months, but every time I twisted it I would be on the couch for three - six weeks, until I had it fixed in 2001. I think it will be mid season or later before, T. Allen is back to full strength. I hope I'm wrong.

[DERRENMATTS]

Thanks for sharing, Rockin'. Opinions have more meaning when it comes from people who have been through the circumstances.

Well, being that Tony will be playing a role off the bench, we won't have to put the full brunt of responsibilities on his shoulders right away. If he can just provide some defense, that will be appreciated. Then in 2008, when he fully returns to form, we can have the offensive, and defensive minded Tony Allen.

Actually, if Tony Allen can learn to be an effective player without having his mean explosiveness, if he can learn to rely on smarts and craftiness rather than relying on his explosiveness, he will be a better rounded player. And when his explosiveness returns, he will be that much more dangerous because he'll be able to play at different speeds.

[FLCeltsFan]

Wow RR, you had quite an experience. I think Tony has a couple things going for his recovery this time. One, last season he went through the knee recovery and came back better than ever, even though it took awhile. But having gone through it once, it may be easier for him to come back mentally from this one. Second, Powe went through 2 ACL tears himself and will be there to help and encourage Tony in his come back. Also, as Derren pointed out he will have a more veteran cast around him and won't have to shoulder so much of a load on the team. It will take him awhile to get back, but I expect it to be before mid season.

[rockinrondo]

Great point DERRENMATTS, I think it will help his all around game. I hope your right FL, I would love to see TA at full strength ASAP, and having Powe around to encourage him, will really help. Get well soon TA, we need ya.