Celtics' Danilo Gallinari Feared to Have Severe Knee Injury; ACL Reportedly Intact

Boston Celtics forward Danilo Gallinari's 2022-23 season appears to be over before it even got started.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, there's a fear that the veteran suffered a "serious" knee injury while playing for Italy in a FIBA World Cup qualifier against Georgia.

Gallinari suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game. Italy head coach Gianmarco Pozzecco told reporters the belief was that Gallinari tore his left cruciate ligament, but Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium later reported initial tests indicated the ACL is "stable." Italy's team doctor also provided an update that the ligament appears to have held and Gallinari will undergo an MRI on Sunday.

A 14-year veteran, Gallinari is no stranger to knee injuries. While he was a member of the Denver Nuggets, he required surgery because of an ACL injury toward the end of the 2012-13 season, which caused him to miss the entirety of the following campaign.

Gallinari signed a two-year deal with the Celtics last month. He had been waived by the San Antonio Spurs after being acquired in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the offseason. The 34-year-old was projected to have a consistent role off the bench for Boston as a power forward who can stretch the floor.

The Celtics have massive aspirations heading into the season after falling to the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. If the initial tests on Gallinari are accurate, it appears he still has a chance to be a contributor to Boston's title hopes.