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Haha the celtics should go 82-0 every season the way they talk..I guess they don't realize all their stars are old as now haha
Garnett still feels pain of lost season
By Marc J. Spears
BOSTON – Kevin Garnett walked out of the TD Banknorth Garden alone on that night in mid-May, his step carrying a slight limp. He didn’t say a word, but it was clear he was burning inside. The Boston Celtics’ chances at a repeat championship had just ended, and Garnett had been unable to do anything about it.
Garnett isn’t a “what if” guy. He doesn’t spend much time dwelling on the past or the hypothetical. Yet even K.G. couldn’t help but wonder if the Celtics’ season would have ended differently had he been healthy.
The reality? That stung. With Garnett stranded on the sideline while his right knee ached with bone spurs, the Celtics were eliminated by the Orlando Magic in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs after having two opportunities to win the series. Their dreams of back-to-back les vanished.
“Like everybody else, I was very [mad],” Garnett said. “[Mad]. Very [mad]. Very [mad]. Very [mad].”
The Celtics face the Magic on Friday for the first time since their Game 7 loss. It’s clear they have yet to shake the bitter memories. The Celtics, in spite of their injuries (Leon Powe also was sidelined) and fatigue, took a 3-2 lead in their series. They lost Game 6, then were hammered 101-82 at home by the Magic in Game 7.
“It leaves a bitter taste in our mouth,” said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “But I thought they were the better team. Could we have done things different or better? I hope we could’ve. But we didn’t and we didn’t win.”
Would the Celtics have won had Garnett been healthy enough to play?
“I believe it,” Paul Pierce said. “I believe if we would have just had Leon we would have [won].”
There were constant rumors Garnett would miraculously return to help at some point during the playoffs. For the Celtics, however, there was no Willis Reed moment. Rather, Garnett helplessly watched as he focused on getting the best possible medical advice.
“I wasn’t happy about my situation – very tough for me,” he said.
“I didn’t hear none of that [speculation] but I pretty much listened to my body and went through all kinds of formal testing and met different specialists and all kinds of stuff,” he added. “I had no idea what was being said and what people thought of; I was more in tune to what I was doing.”
Garnett is still recovering from offseason surgery, but he’ll be back on the floor Friday to face the Magic. He’s averaged 13.5 points and 7.3 rebounds, and still drags his leg on occasion. Against the Magic, he’ll be tasked with chasing versatile forward Rashard Lewis.
Garnett said he’s “not even where I want to be at, at this point.” But Rivers is optimistic K.G. will be back to his old self by the time the playoffs begin.
“It’s getting there,” Rivers said. “It’s not there yet. He’s healthy. … I’ll take his game right now, as would 98 percent of the league.”
The Celtics and Magic both rank as East powers, but they also look a lot different from when they last met. The Celtics have added some much-needed depth in Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels. Meanwhile, Glen Davis – who had a breakthrough performance against Orlando in the postseason – is out with a hand injury. The Magic have replaced Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie with Vince Carter, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson and Jason Williams. Magic guard Jameer Nelson, just like in the playoffs, is out with a knee injury.
The Celtics’ respect for the Magic seems much stronger than when they were ousted months ago.
“As far as we’re concerned, they are the favorite, we’re the second favorite and Cleveland is the third on the results of last year,” Rivers said. “It will be good to see where we are at.”
Haha the celtics should go 82-0 every season the way they talk..I guess they don't realize all their stars are old as now haha
Awww, KG, poor bag.
I recall Paul Pierce claiming last year they were the best team in the playoffs even without Garnett. He also said he was the best player in the playoffs.
I liked Boston sports better when they were all the lovable losers fan base.
He's going to feel a lot more pain when the Blazers kick the Celtics' ass in the Finals next June!
i feel the pain too. what if we were 100% we could have swept the magic.
KG should let off some steam by beating up a point guard.
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