Boston center Kendrick Perkins is suffering from a left shoulder injury and will not rush back to the court.

"It's getting better by the day, and it feels a lot better now. He would rather me sit out a week and not rush it. That's not bad - it used to be by the month," Perkins said. "We know we're going to make the playoffs, so there's no rush. I'm sure they would rather have me for the playoffs."

Perkins was initially injured in the first quarter of the Celtics' loss to the Lakers on Christmas Day.

"Not career-ending but it could be a career problem; it has been in his young career," Coach Doc Rivers said of Perkins. "Last year we got away with it, and in Game 5 [of the Finals] he was out. So, you just don't know with it.

"It depends on lineups. The tough part about not having Perk - especially if you are playing power '5's' - you are stuck playing Kevin [ Garnett] on that, which you don't want, because it kills him, his energy, and doesn't allow him to roam the way we want him to roam."