Celtics' O'Neal has surgery, season over

BOSTON, March 19 (UPI) -- Boston Celtics center Jermaine O'Neal will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his left wrist, the team said Monday.

O'Neal was averaging 5.0 points and 5.4 rebounds through 25 games this season before sustaining a wrist injury in a fall during a Feb. 20 game against Dallas.

Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said a decision was made to proceed with surgery after O'Neal's chronic degenerative wrist condition failed to improve with immobilization and therapy.

"Jermaine worked hard to get himself in condition to play this season despite his ongoing wrist issues," Ainge said. "He played through pain the entire year and gave us all he could, but unfortunately after the fall against Dallas there simply wasn't anything else he could do."