Spurs vs. Celtics Previews

Ainge: Garnett close to returning
By Marc J. Spears

Kevin Garnett hasn't played in a game in more than a month. But based on what Celtics president Danny Ainge has seen behind closed doors in Waltham, he believes Garnett is ready to play. Whether that's tonight against the Spurs, tomorrow against Memphis, or later could be determined this morning.

Garnett has been out with a sprained right knee he suffered Feb. 19 at Utah. The 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year made the trip to San Antonio, but has not practiced since suffering the injury. Although Ainge is confident Garnett is ready based on his workouts this week, the team is still being cautious.

"He's looking good," Ainge said. "He's made a great deal of strides, especially in the last 10 days or so. It took him a little while to get going. But in the last week to 10 days, he's been looking a lot better.

"Just by the way he's moving, he looks fresh and healthy. We're still playing it by ear. We're still waiting to see what's going to happen. I'm confident that he will be back [soon]."

A strong shootaround could get Garnett back in the starting lineup tonight.

"I think we'll click right away, especially when we get Kevin back out there, our starting five out there, because they know how to play the game," Paul Pierce said.

Added Rajon Rondo, "Any time you can play with a future Hall of Famer, you always welcome him."

The injury-riddled Celtics are 10-6 without Garnett this season, 7-6 in this recent stretch, and 4-5 in March. Three players who have replaced Garnett have also succumbed to injuries. Brian Scalabrine has been out since Feb. 23 with concussions, Glen Davis missed four games with a right ankle sprain before returning Wednesday against Miami, and Leon Powe is out two weeks with a sprained right knee he suffered at Chicago Tuesday.

"We've always known how good [Garnett] is," Ainge said. "Any team can get by with losing their best player for a short period of time. It's tough over a longer period. Scal was playing really good in his absence, then we lose Scal.

"Sometimes it's not so much the guy you're replacing. Our two shooting players at that position are both out and that hurts our spacing. The Scal element hurt us, too."

The Celtics have also lost starting guards Rondo (ankle) and Ray Allen to injuries during Garnett's absence. Allen missed Wednesday's game with a hyperextended elbow, but is day to day and made the trip to San Antonio. The Spurs will be without guard Manu Ginobili (right ankle), but Tim Duncan (right knee) is expected to play after sitting out Tuesday's game against Minnesota.

The Celtics are arguably the NBA's best defensive team with Garnett. Boston is third in points allowed per game at 93.3. But without the 6-foot-11-inch Garnett, the Celtics have allowed more than 100 points in five of nine games this month.

"[Garnett's] our leader and we miss his leadership out on the floor, his verbal leadership," coach Doc Rivers said. "He's the one guy that holds everybody accountable defensively. We've won games but they've been offensive games. You look at some of the numbers we've put up, but we know - I know - that that is fool's gold and you don't win that way. You have to get stops and we're not getting stops right now.

"We're giving up 30-point quarters, 37-point quarters. That doesn't happen when he's on the floor."

"We miss his communication on defense," Rondo added. "He's always talking behind me and letting me know when I'm by myself [guarding someone]. It takes a load off everything."

If everything goes right health-wise for the Celtics, only Scalabrine, Powe, and Tony Allen (thumb surgery) will be out by next week. Boston was down to 10 healthy players Wednesday. Pierce, the only Celtic to play every game this season, believes a respite will help the injured.

"The good thing about it is that these guys are going to be fresh," Pierce said. "After playing 120-something games last year, and playing so many games early at the top part of our schedule, maybe it could be a blessing in disguise that these guys got some time off, especially Kevin."

Ainge concurred. "Our thought process is what it's always been; we need Kevin healthy for the playoffs. That's our No. 1 priority," he said.

Just got into SA, ready to head over to the arena.

GO SPURS GO!

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Originally Posted by tp2021

Just got into SA, ready to head over to the arena.

GO SPURS GO!

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Have fun at the game! :toast

No game blog yet?

Damn d228, you're like colonel sanders in the matrix, who could see everything at once.

http://thematrix101.com/media/still/..._architect.jpg

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Originally Posted by xtremesteven33

NBA Finlas Preview....

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that's what we all thought last year too


anyways, I hope TD continues to rest until he can actually play at a level that helps the team. for the last few weeks, we've been better off without him

Rick Kamla just said on the pregame show that Garnett will play, but won't be on the court long. Ray Allen should be playing too.