The Boston Celtics forward Danilo Gallinari has been ruled out of action after picking up a torn left meniscus while representing Italy in a FIBA World Cup qualifying game against Georgia on Saturday. Gallinari was seen grabbing at his knee following a bounce pass, after which he made his way to the sideline and awaited medical assistance. It took the assistance of the team’s trainers to escort Gallinari back to the locker room.
While the Italian national team has not yet been able to release a timetable leading up to the forward’s return to the court, he is confirmed to remain unavailable for Italy during the EuroBasket tournament next month.
“It’s tough to talk about basketball after what we saw happen to Danilo,” Italy captain Luigi Datome stated following his team’s 91-84 win over Georgia. He went on to wish Gallinari a speedy recovery.
At 34 years of age, Gallinari will be a much-missed source of experience for Italy during the EuroBasket tournament, particularly with more than 13 years of NBA experience. He was signed by the Boston Celtics on July 12; a much-needed move for the Celtics as they seek to increase their squad depth and return to the NBA Finals this season.
