Leandro Barbosa injury: Celtics guard exits with knee injury

Boston Celtics guard Leandro Barbosa had to be helped off the floor after suffering what appeared to be either a knee or ankle injury in the third quarter of Monday night's game against the Charlotte Bobcats.

The injury occurred with 11.7 seconds left in the third quarter, and according to to the Celtics, he will not return after heading to the locker room. The injury is a devastating blow to the already thin backcourt for the C's, who lost starting point guard Rajon Rondo for the season in January with a torn ACL.

Barbosa stepped up and played increased minutes in Rondo's absence, and was one of the players they were going to rely upon in order to remain in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The 30-year-old NBA veteran from Brazil has played over 20 minutes and scored in double figures in each of the Celtics' last three games.

No official word on his diagnosis has come from the team as of yet, and he is currently resting with ice on the injured knee pending further examination.