Showtime24 LAKERS
04-19-2009, 03:42 PM
Any lingering speculation regarding a return by Kevin Garnett in these playoffs should be coming to an end soon. According to sources, Garnett is seeking a date to have surgery on his right knee sooner rather than later.
“The knee is hurting him too bad right now,” one source said. “He just can’t play.”
According to another person with knowledge of the situation, Garnett sought advice from non-Celtic medical sources on remedies that could allow him to play through the end of this season. And there were points in recent weeks when it seemed the program of rest and rehab were working and that Garnett would be able to go. But when the soreness returned and increased, the options went away.
“Injuries like this are really a tricky thing,” one medical person who has worked on NBA players said. “Most of the time you just need to rest it and let the area calm down, but sometimes it’s different.”
Contrary to statements from the Celtics [team stats] that surgery was not discussed in the Garnett case, word is the team did consider it when Garnett’s right knee suffered its most serious twist in Utah on Feb. 19.
The subject of whether surgery could alleviate the problem was raised, but rest looked like the better option - particularly since having a procedure on the knee could have ended Garnett’s season.
Garnett was said to be alternately confident and pessimistic on his chances to return, but he told teammates Wednesday he was probably done.
That it wasn’t a foregone conclusion (for weeks, as some suggested) is supported by the fact Garnett worked out Thursday.
“We talked late (Wednesday) night and he said, ‘Let me come in and work out,’ ” coach Doc Rivers said. “He said, ‘I’m really worried.’ And that scared the (expletive) out of me. But even then we thought he would be OK.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2009_04_19_Kevin_Garnett_eyes_surgery_date/
“The knee is hurting him too bad right now,” one source said. “He just can’t play.”
According to another person with knowledge of the situation, Garnett sought advice from non-Celtic medical sources on remedies that could allow him to play through the end of this season. And there were points in recent weeks when it seemed the program of rest and rehab were working and that Garnett would be able to go. But when the soreness returned and increased, the options went away.
“Injuries like this are really a tricky thing,” one medical person who has worked on NBA players said. “Most of the time you just need to rest it and let the area calm down, but sometimes it’s different.”
Contrary to statements from the Celtics [team stats] that surgery was not discussed in the Garnett case, word is the team did consider it when Garnett’s right knee suffered its most serious twist in Utah on Feb. 19.
The subject of whether surgery could alleviate the problem was raised, but rest looked like the better option - particularly since having a procedure on the knee could have ended Garnett’s season.
Garnett was said to be alternately confident and pessimistic on his chances to return, but he told teammates Wednesday he was probably done.
That it wasn’t a foregone conclusion (for weeks, as some suggested) is supported by the fact Garnett worked out Thursday.
“We talked late (Wednesday) night and he said, ‘Let me come in and work out,’ ” coach Doc Rivers said. “He said, ‘I’m really worried.’ And that scared the (expletive) out of me. But even then we thought he would be OK.”
http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/basketball/celtics/view/2009_04_19_Kevin_Garnett_eyes_surgery_date/