Vince Ellis

Detroit Free Press

BOSTON – It’s a near certainty that Detroit Pistons rookie Stanley Johnson will receive the second start of his young career Thursday night when the New York Knicks visit the Palace.

But how long will he remain there?

Johnson is the next man up with shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope suffering a right groin injury in Wednesday night’s 102-95 loss to the Boston Celtics at TD Garden.

An MRI will come today.

Depending on the severity, Caldwell-Pope could miss several games.

That leaves it up to the promising teenager from Arizona

And he said he is ready.

“Yes, I think I’m ready to play big minutes,” an exasperated Johnson said. “What do y’all expect me to say? ‘Nah, I don’t want it?’

“I think I play well with a lot of players on the team and we play well together.”

Johnson started earlier this season when small forward Marcus Morris missed a game with left knee tendinitis.

The need for Johnson’s ascension was caused by wet spots on the TD Garden floor. Such a spot claimed Caldwell-Pope with 3 minutes left in the first half.

Trying to run down an inbounds pass, he slipped. He got up limping and hopped on one leg in an attempt to get back on defense.

A Pistons foul stopped the action and Caldwell-Pope went to the floor. He was helped off the floor and into the locker room where he was diagnosed with a right groin strain.

Johnson, 19, started the second half, and finished with 11 points, nine rebounds and two assists. He struggled with 4-for-13 shooting and three turnovers.

Caldwell-Pope’s streak of 208 straight games played, the second-longest in the NBA, is in danger.

Point guard Reggie Jackson said he avoids spots on the floor at TD Garden because of the propensity for wet spots with hockey ice beneath the hardwood.

“Very scary," Jackson said. “You're just holding your breath. Said a quick prayer for him. Just hope everything's all right. Just wanted to make sure he was able to get off the court and get back and let the training staff watch out for him. So wishing him the best.”

Several team members spoke to Caldwell-Pope afterward and said he was his normal stoic self.

“That's my guy,” Jackson said. “We're one and two in the backcourt. I'm always going to cheer for him. It hurts to see him go down, somebody that plays so hard, a guy that you want in your foxhole with you, a guy who's definitely a big part of the team, the heart of the team. He has nothing to say.

“He just comes in and competes each and every play. So seeing him go down, it definitely hurt me, and we just want him back as fast as possible. But we just want him to be fully recovered.”

Contact Vince Ellis at vellis@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @vincent_ellis56. Download our Pistons Xtra app on iTunes or Android!