Danilo Gallinari hurts knee in World Cup qualifier

Celtics forward Danilo Gallinari suffered an injury to his left knee during today’s FIBA World Cup qualifying game, tweets international basketball writer Cesare Milanti.

Gallinari was hurt on a drive to the basket during the fourth quarter of the contest between Italy and Georgia. He underwent treatment on the sidelines but didn’t return to the game. An MRI is scheduled for Sunday to determine the full extent of the damage.

Italian coach Gianmarco Pozzecco originally feared that Gallinari had suffered an ACL tear, but the team doctor examined Gallinari’s left knee ligament, which has been operated on before, and determined that it’s intact.

“I hope and I pray that nothing bad will come out,” Pozzecco said. “It was … it is an honor coaching him. I saw pain in his eyes.”

Gallinari signed a two-year, $13.3M contract with Boston in July. The seriousness of his injury will determine whether he will be available when training camps open roughly a month from now.