"As Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were sitting down in the interview room late last night, Pierce was asked, you know, who's the new guy?

"Call up from the D-League," Garnett said, intercepting the question much like he had done to the Jameer Nelson pass with 15.9 seconds left.

The "D" to which he refers must be the Don't Think You're Going To Win It Without Him League.

Nine games and three quarters after he limped off the Palace floor in Auburn Hills, Mich., with what was thankfully just a strained right calf, Garnett was back in the band and he didn't miss a beat. He led the percussion section with eight rebounds in the 109-106 victory over Orlando, seamlessly adding 19 points.

The Celtics were concerned about KG's conditioning, but in his 31st and final minute on the floor, he roamed far out on the wing and made the steal that essentially ended the game. (Garnett threw the ball ahead to Ray Allen, who was fouled and hit both free throws for a five-point lead with 11.5 on the clock.)

A few minutes later, sweat was dripping down Garnett's head. Sweat and triumph — his favorite mixed drink.

"It felt good, man," he said.

It may have felt a bit surprising to some that Garnett could produce so well against a high-quality opponent in his first game back. But he is not among the some.

"Well, you get out of it what you put into it," Garnett said. "These two weeks have been dark days for me. I've been trying to keep my morale up around the guys."