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Kevin Garnett News & Rumors

Garnett puts a rap on fine effort
February 6
Boston Globe
 
"Kevin Garnett was sounding his own version of an old alarm after the Celtics' 98-80 win over Memphis yesterday at TD Garden. Garnett had produced an efficient, team-oriented 24-point, nine-rebound performance. Then, he went tangential as he was asked about his three-game 3-pointer streak. "Don't get used to it, y'all,'' Garnett said. During a two-minute "One if by land, two if by sea, three if by Garnett'' monologue, he then expressed a desire to send his message from North Station to Concord and Lexington and across the country, justifying both his reluctance and sudden willingness to fire away from distance. Garnett was able to find a balance between defensiveness and humor with a"
Kevin Garnett insisting he's no 3 stooge
February 6
Boston Herald
 
"Don't call him Ray Allen, Mark Price or Reggie Miller. And whatever you do, don't call him Brian Scalabrine. But Kevin Garnett wants to clear up a misconception. "I can shoot 3's," Garnett said after hitting a bomb yesterday for the third straight game during the Celtics' 98-80 win over the Memphis Grizzlies. It marked the first time as a Celtic that Garnett has hit three 3-pointers in one season, let alone three straight games."
Celtics' Big Three in jeopardy?
January 19
ESPN.com
 
"Danny Ainge does not want to see another decline in the franchise like the one that happened after the Boston Celtics' original Big Three dried up, and he's reportedly willing to break up his current star trio to ensure that. The only problem is that he's not seeing any worthwhile deals to make. The Celtics have limped to a 5-8 start behind 34-year-old Paul Pierce, 35-year-old Kevin Garnett and 36-year-old Ray Allen. Ainge, the Celtics' president of basketball operations, told The Boston Globe that he would consider a trade if it would help the team get younger and be poised to be competitive in the next era. Ainge saw the Celtics pass up deals when Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert"
Garnett's a bit icy after game
January 14
Boston Globe
 
"Kevin Garnett's left ankle was heavily iced in the Celtics' locker room after an 88-79 loss to Chicago last night. Garnett then shed the ice packs and held a short interview session. "You guys take it easy,'' Garnett replied when asked about his ankle. Then he departed for a scheduled midnight flight to Indianapolis. Garnett, who remained in the game until the final 55 seconds, cut the Celtics' deficit to 71-68 with 8:25 remaining in the game. But Garnett did not score again, his final attempt blocked by Joakim Noah with 2:30 to play. "They came out firing on all cylinders and created a hole for us early,'' Garnett said. "[Against] good teams, you can't do that. Second half, better effort."
Doc adjusting to KG's minutes
January 14
Boston Herald
 
"The 5-5-5 plan remains. Or at least this Kevin Garnett minutes-rationing system appears to have more life than Herman Cain and his 9-9-9 plan. After last night's 88-79 loss to the Bulls, Doc Rivers said he's not sure Garnett is responding well to these shorter bursts of playing time. However, the coach will continue to employ the strategy for now. "I don't know, it's tough," Rivers said of the effect on Garnett, who finished with eight points on 4-of-11 shooting in 34 minutes last night. "He wanted to go longer, and then he looked over at me after seven (minutes) and said he needed a blow. It's just a tough one. I'm still working on that one. "I like it, honestly," Rivers said. "But three"
Celtics know Ticket to success
January 9
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett feels nagged and prodded. The Celtics forward recently held his hands apart by roughly the length of a knee-high boot and said, "Doc's got this much foot in my (butt) right now because I'm not shooting the ball." This isn't exactly news. Coach Doc Rivers spent most of last spring's Eastern Conference semifinals against the Miami Heat begging Garnett to shoot more. Most coaches want to see more scoring from their aging stars, especially their aging big men. Like Garnett, Tim Duncan is approaching the end of a Hall of Fame career, and his offensive numbers are declining. Jason Kidd's triple-double days are long gone. Even Celtics teammates Paul Pierce and Ray Allen don't"
KG comes alive in D.C.
January 2
Boston Herald
 
"Doc Rivers has been pleading with Kevin Garnett to be more assertive with the ball. Borderline selfish even. Now you, and the Washington Wizards, know why. After averaging 10.3 shots and a modest 10.8 points to start the season, Garnett was hungry for the hoop in this one. His 17 shot attempts and 24 points were both game-highs. And as long as he was willing, the Celtics were pretty much a lock against the wobbly Wizards. They led by as many as 19 and withstood their own bout of ennui before taking a 94-86 victory. Sure, it helped that Rajon Rondo rolled out a triple-double — 18 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists — but he was impressive in the first three games of the season and the C's"
Kevin Garnett avoids punishment
December 27
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett will play against the Heat tonight thanks to the good graces of the NBA, which decided not to penalize the Celtics forward for his actions immediately following Sunday's 106-104 loss to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York. Garnett, after missing the potential game-tying shot as the buzzer sounded, lunged at Bill Walker and made contact with the Knicks forward's throat. Celtics president Danny Ainge, who watched the game on television, believes the proper decision was rendered. "I don't think it was that kind of thing," Ainge said yesterday. "It might be a technical foul, but that's all. I don't know what was said. He was provoked in some regard." Walker, who"
Garnett focusing on the here and now
December 24
Boston Globe
 
"His shadow is measurable and recognizable by merely a glimpse. When he exits the Celtics' locker room at TD Garden, Kevin Garnett generally wears a hood over his head, as if he truly believes it will camouflage a 7-foot man with a bald crown and diamond earrings. He fully realizes it's a futile attempt, but it's an attempt nonetheless. It's an attempt at privacy. It's an attempt to retain normalcy in his life. It's a signal that when the game is over, Garnett transforms back into a reclusive, sensitive, and mercurial person, far from the screaming, gyrating, and expressive man that shows up on game nights. What happens with Garnett after this abbreviated season is unknown, and both the"
Three in good company
December 23
Boston Herald
 
"If you go by what Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen were thinking back in the summer of 2007, the expiration date of their time together already has passed. But what did they know? They were just kids back then. Now 34, 35 and 36, respectively, they believe there is still game in their old bones. "Originally we talked about maybe a three- or four-year window," Pierce said. "Ray had three years left, so that's how we figured it. We didn't look past guys' contracts at the time because you never know what can happen. "But we also feel like as long as we're together, the window is still open. For however long we're together.""
JaJuan Johnson a student of Kevin Garnett's game
December 22
Boston Herald
 
"JaJuan Johnson has a long way to go in his NBA career. But the good news for Celtics fans is the rookie has already taken one very important step on the path to success: He's accepted the mentoring of Kevin Garnett. Garnett can be notoriously tough on newcomers. If a young player resists Garnett's first offering of advice, there will be no second chance. Garnett simply moves on and leaves the youngster to fend for himself. That's why it was such a promising development when coach Doc Rivers mentioned that Garnett had taken Johnson under his wing."
Kevin Garnett calls out David Stern
December 13
ESPN.com
 
"Boston Celtics stars Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce all voiced great displeasure Tuesday with a cram-session training camp cobbled together in the aftermath of the lockout in order to allow the NBA to engage in a condensed 66-game regular season starting on Christmas Day. Garnett, who admitted he was "coming off emotional" and "being very, very, very up-front" with reporters, sounded off on NBA commissioner David Stern and a disjointed start to the new season. "I think what you see, we're a rushed league right now," Garnett said. "Everybody is paying attention to the Chris Paul situation. But I don't know why everyone's shocked, because Stern has been pretty adamant about when"
KG in middle of things
December 11
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett was dripping sweat following a post-practice shooting session. Considering he wrapped his arms around the likelihood this will be the last hurrah for this Celtics veteran core, and quite possibly his own final season, there is the pressing need to squeeze every last drop from the situation. "Unfortunately that is the mindset," Garnett said, speaking to coach Doc Rivers' directive to treat the season as if it will be their last together. "No one knows the certainty of the future, so I think we're embracing this year as all-out." As for his own career coda, KG said, "I'm focused on this year and this year only. I'll make other decisions later.""
Garnett wants to retire a Celtic
September 3
Boston Globe
 
"Kevin Garnett addressed many issues in an interview with the Globe on Friday and one of them was his future, which has been a touchy subject for the moody forward in past years. Garnett said he wants to retire a Celtic and has not ruled out signing beyond next season, when he contract expires. "I want to finish my career as a Celtic," said Garnett, who joined Boston in a trade with Minnesota before the 2007-08 season. "This is it. I don't plan on bouncing from team-to-team, that's not really the plan. Hopefully God willing, I can finish my career out in the classy, elegant with a class-full organization as Boston. I don't want to downgrade. I want to continue to be where I'm at. This is"
Kevin Garnett: 'You trust no one in this'
September 2
Boston Globe
 
"Celtics forward Kevin Garnett was a guest on Dan Patrick's radio show today and touched on topics ranging from the NBA lockout to Brian Scalabrine. On the lockout, which threatens to delay or cancel the upcoming season, Garnett was expansive. "As a fan you just want to see sports, but it's the business part of it that you have to pay attention to," said Garnett. "You never want things slowing that down. "You trust no one in this, to be honest. You know you trust the players, because we're communicating and negotiating. But you never trust the other side. Because you don't know what they're thinking and they don't know what you're thinking. You're trying to come to some common ground going"
Kevin Garnett not talking contract extension with Boston
September 1
Pro Basketball Talk
 
"The Dan Patrick show was on fire today — go check out the rant by college football writer Bruce Feldman against ESPN. Patrick also had Kevin Garnett on, and that led to some interesting comments about his future. KG enters into the last year of his contract this year then he is a free agent. Garnett said on the broadcast he has had no talks with the Celtics about a contract extension."
Big Three get food for thought
June 23
Boston Globe
 
"It takes a minor miracle to get all three stars together during the offseason, but Doc Rivers broke bread with Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce a couple weeks ago to go over the way last season ended and once again pass along the memo that the championship window is getting smaller. Allen and Garnett are 35, Pierce is 33. The tick-tocks are getting louder. Losing to the Heat in the second round of the playoffs after reassembling the core for one more run was tough to swallow. Perhaps more difficult, Rivers said, than losing to the Lakers in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals."
Selfish Kevin Garnett key to Celtics' chances
May 11
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics are back on the beach, that uncomfortable place referenced by Kevin Garnett after Game 2 when he said, "We're not on a sunny beach anymore. We're back in the jungle." By the jungle, he meant the Garden — site of his series-shaking 28-point performance in a Game 3 win. But he got lost in the jungle in Game 4 on Monday, when he strayed from the post — and his appetite for scoring — with a seven-point performance on 1-of-10 shooting when the Celtics' path to success was clear. The Heat, a star-studded team that is nevertheless as hollow as an Easter chocolate bunny, were most vulnerable when Garnett went against his nature and turned selfish with the ball. One game from"
Big Three must C's moment
May 11
Boston Herald
 columnist Ron Borges
"Tonight will be Big Three Lite's truest Celtics moment. Certainly the world championship run three years ago of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett will allow them to live on in the hearts and memories of Celts fans, but, truth be told, they have achieved less than what was anticipated when they first arrived for an assortment of reasons, not all of their own making. Regardless of why they failed to hold a 13-point second-half lead last year in Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Lakers, that loss, in some ways, begat what has happened to them since. Big Three Lite seemed to wither and grow old that day, a circumstance that seldom reverses itself in sports. This season its fade has"
Kevin Garnett runs out of paint
May 10
Boston Herald
 columnist Steve Bulpett
"Doc Rivers is a smooth and confident man, but he looked exceedingly uncomfortable when the subject of Kevin Garnett was raised after last night's game. The Celtics coach doesn't like to hit his veterans over the head with words, but what could he say? Rivers had put it on Garnett to be more assertive with the ball after he went 3-for-9 mainly from the outside in the Game 1 loss in Miami. He said he wanted 20 shots in Game 2, and Garnett gave him 20. But 15 of the 20 shots were jumpers. On Saturday, Garnett took his considerable talents to the paint and changed the face of Game 3 — and, the Celtics hoped, the series — when he pounded his way to 28 points. Having established that concept and"
Garnett, Rondo named to All-Defensive team
May 10
Boston Globe
 
"Celtics forward Kevin Garnett and Celtics guard Rajon Rondo have been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team, the NBA announced today. They join Magic center Dwight Howard, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, and Heat forward LeBron James on the team."
Garnett's greed pays dividends
May 8
Boston Globe
 columnist Bob Ryan
"It's nice and noble when the Big Ticket wants to be the Big Facilitator, but there are times when he can make you scream. Pass, pass, pass. Pass up your own layup so someone else can take a contested 15-footer. Pass up a shot for your own Hall-of-Fame self so a less worthy teammate can take a shot. It can get maddening, all the more so when he does this in a playoff game. But Kevin Garnett knew last night was different. He was already on record as saying that this Game 3 with the Heat, his team down, 0-2, was "the season,'' and so he must have decided it was time to make a substitution without even bothering to clear it with Doc Rivers."
When needed most, KG takes control
May 8
Boston Herald
 
"Celtics coach Doc Rivers didn't have a problem with the quantity of shots Kevin Garnett took in the first two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals. It was the quality that left a bit to be desired. Garnett got the message loud and clear last night, dominating the paint at both ends of the floor in leading the Celtics to a 97-81 victory. Cutting the Heat's lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, Garnett scored 28 points, grabbed 18 rebounds and generally had his way with the Heat big men. "Kevin had 20 shots in Game 2, but it wasn't the 20 shots that we wanted," said Rivers. "(Last night), he got the 20 shots that we wanted, minus the three at the end of the game .?.?. even his jump"
Garnett: 'We've used all our lifelines'
May 7
Boston Globe
 
"With the Celtics in a two-games-to-none hole to the Miami Heat, the urgency for Saturday's Game 3 is obvious. The desperation of the moment was evident in Kevin Garnett's tone before practice this morning. The whole thing's a challenge. No one said getting there was going to be easy. No one said it was going to be a simple process. We understand that. I think our mentality is an all-in mentality for tomorrow's game. We've always been able to say 'one game at a time' and that hasn't changed. The urgency is there. This is it. We've used all our lifelines. I hate to say it like that, but it's true. This is not a cool, kind of, keep your composure. No, this is we've got to get the next game."
Celtics need Ticket to ride
May 5
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett isn't the problem in the Celtics' Eastern Conference semifinal series against Miami. There is too much competition for that title to pick a clear winner. But Garnett needs to be a major part of the solution if their season is to extend beyond Monday. Shaquille O'Neal didn't walk through that door for Games 1 and 2. Well, he did, but he was limping. Therefore, even if he does play in Game 3 Saturday, he won't be left out there for long. Garnett simply must be a larger factor on both ends of the court. The fact that he hasn't been all the Celtics need him to be has the club concerned. The numbers scream and shout. The Celtics took just 40 free throws in the first two games"
Garnett vows to be aggressive
May 3
Boston Globe
 
"It wasn't that Kevin Garnett was unapproachable yesterday before the Celtics worked out at the University of Miami in preparation for tonight's Game 2 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Heat. There are times at practice when Garnett grunts and stares at reporters, a figurative "not today'' sign on his forehead, especially after a difficult loss, which Sunday's 99-90 Game 1 defeat was. After a conversation with team president Danny Ainge, Garnett slumped against the wall of the practice court and stewed. He was passive most of Game 1, not showing any real aggressiveness until two blocked shots and a streaking dunk in the fourth quarter. After a week off to gather his"
Green to get in touch with KG
May 3
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett's unselfishness is one of his greatest strengths. But there are situations that call for the Celtics forward to suppress that instinct and be aggressive. This series against the Miami Heat is one of those times. Matched up with Miami's Chris Bosh, Garnett will need to be assertive on the offensive end. In the Celtics' 99-90 Game 1 loss Sunday, Garnett made just 3-of-9 shots and finished with six points and eight rebounds. "Kevin is the most unselfish player in the NBA," teammate Delonte West said before yesterday's practice at the University of Miami. "It kind of goes against his game. He makes the right play at the right time. Sometimes he passes up shots for the betterment"
Bosh not fazed by KG
April 30
Boston Globe
 
"Over the course of the season, Kevin Garnett's gone a long way in earning a label as a "dirty" player. It's to the point now that it's become a survey question to all his upcoming matchups. Chris Bosh was asked if Garnett tries to get in opponents' heads and if his approach bordered on dirtiness. "That's what it seems like," Bosh said. "Somebody only does something if you let them. I think a lot of people come in right off the bat in the game and they're already thinking about it. I don't worry about it too much. If that is somebody's goal, that's their goal. You can't let somebody else dictate what you do in a game." Bosh couched it by saying Garnet wasn't the only player that tried to"
Kevin Garnett finds range, finishes with flurry
April 25
Boston Herald
 
"After nearly every Celtics practice, Kevin Garnett remains on the court taking extra mid-range jumpers. Shot after shot, the ball finds nothing but net, with the rare miss invariably followed by a quick curse word. At the end of yesterday's Celtics' 101-89, series-clinching, Game 4 victory against the Knicks, Garnett looked like he was back on the practice floor. With New York mounting a furious rally from a 23-point deficit, Garnett coolly nailed consecutive mid-range jump shots. The second bucket gave the C's a 97-86 lead with 2:04 remaining, closing the door on both the Knicks' comeback hopes and the series. "It was big," Jermaine O'Neal said. "Obviously, in this league, it takes one"
These were cagey moves by KG
April 20
Boston Globe
 
"Everything about the last 19 seconds was a blur to Kevin Garnett. That goes for the inbounds pass from Rajon Rondo, and the five dribbles he took to back down the Knicks' Jared Jeffries and make the hook shot that gave the Celtics the lead. It also goes for the pass from Carmelo Anthony that Jeffries had trouble handling, Garnett pouncing for the steal that helped seal the Celtics' 96-93 Game 2 win over the Knicks at TD Garden."
Kevin Garnett makes most of Celtics' option play
April 20
Boston Herald
 
"Doc Rivers has drawn up some beautiful plays in late-game situations this season. But in last night's 96-93 Game 2 win over the Knicks, Rivers called a play that was as gritty as the game itself. Trailing by a point to Carmelo Anthony and a rag-tag group of fill-ins, the Celtics had the ball out of bounds with 19 seconds remaining. Rajon Rondo inbounded and his first option was Paul Pierce, who was covered. Rondo then went to option No. 2, Kevin Garnett, posting Jared Jeffries on the block. Garnett took the pass, backed Jeffries down with a number of hard dribbles and turned for a jump hook. As the ball dropped through the net, it gave the Celtics a 94-93 lead with 13 seconds remaining. "I"
Doc Rivers orders rest for Big 4
April 12
Boston Herald
 
"Doc Rivers has spent most of the season talking about the importance of seeding and the ability to have Game 7s on the Garden parquet. But last night the Celtics coach changed his tune, believing it was better to get his regulars physically and mentally prepared for the postseason. Thus, the team's "Big Four" of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo were out of the lineup against the Washington Wizards. Rivers also announced that, while he had no further news on Shaquille O'Neal's right calf strain, he was ruling the big man out of tomorrow night's regular-season finale against the New York Knicks. "He's not playing (tomorrow)," Rivers said. "I can tell you that right now.""
Garnett says Celtics must get tougher for playoffs
April 8
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Bulls were perceived to be the team trying to measure itself against the proven Eastern Conference champion Celtics. Instead, the Celtics wound up shaking their heads and wondering if they still have what it takes to defend their title after Thursday night's 97-81 drubbing at the United Center. "We just didn't play with the right spirit tonight," said veteran forward Kevin Garnett, who had 10 points and 10 rebounds. "We didn't play with no fight in the second half. You know, we're a better team than this. One thing in the postseason, we have to get some more fight in us as a team." The Bulls reduced their magic number to one to clinch homecourt advantage throughout the conference"
KG keeps intensity level high
March 25
Boston Globe
 
"The Celtics returned to practice at full speed Thursday, following a 90-87 loss to Memphis the previous night. And Kevin Garnett led the way. "There was serious intensity in here today, almost playoff intensity in practice," guard Delonte West said. "We was trying to give KG some rest, telling him to rest a little bit. He wanted to be on the floor. Around this time of year, the veteran guys, the all-star veteran guys, they'll take all the rest they can get. So, that made a big statement, him not even wanting to come off the floor. I mean, they had to literally drag him off the floor, like 'Kevin, we need you to sit out a play.' That made a statement on where the intensity was today.""
Channing Frye, Kevin Garnett meet again
March 3
Boston Herald
 
"Suns forward Jared Dudley had a lighthearted suggestion for how Channing Frye could prepare for last night's game against the Celtics at the Garden. As Dudley passed his teammate after the morning shootaround, he recommended Frye make sure he was wearing a protective cup. The comment was a reference to a dust-up Frye had with Kevin Garnett when the Suns beat the Celtics, 88-71, in Phoenix on Jan.?28. When Frye attempted a 3-pointer late in the game, Garnett came out to contest the shot. As he did earlier in the game, Garnett slid under Frye, with the Phoenix big man landing on Garnett's foot. Additionally, Garnett poked his hand in Frye's midsection, catching him lightly in the groin. Frye"
Garnett : 'Tough day to play basketball.'
February 25
Boston Globe
 
"The Celtics were outscored 16-0 to end the game, but all anyone could discuss afterwards was the controversial trade that sent popular and valuable center Kendrick Perkins and backup guard Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City for forward Jeff Green, center Nenad Krstic and a No. 1 draft pick in 2012. "Tough day to play basketball," Garnett said. "Very tough day to play basketball, to even concentrate, being bluntly honest. It's not even about a teammate. You felt like you lost a family member today. Tough day." Garnett said the team will have to move on. "We have no choice," he said. "I think both parties have to. Perk, he's going to have to on and get over it and obviously adapt to his new"
Point taken by Garnett
February 24
Boston Globe
 
"Sometimes after he drops a pass to Kevin Garnett in the post, Ray Allen will just stand there on the wing and see what Garnett will do with it. Allen knows Garnett would rather pass the ball than hog it, but if Garnett is down low with a chance to do damage, Allen wants him to be a little greedy. The last thing he wants is for Garnett to pass it back. So he just stands there. "Sometimes, if you cut, he's going to pass it,'' Allen said. "So sometimes, you just stand there like, 'You've got to go to work.' ''"
Celtics players got the message
February 21
Boston Globe
 
"Even during All-Star weekend, the Staples Center crowd sent boos to the Celtics. Ray Allen heard them, if only slightly. Rajon Rondo got a chorus of them. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were showered with them. And that was just during the introductions. When the four clocked in together for the East squad midway through the first quarter of the Western Conference's 148-143 victory, the celebrity-studded crowd rained boos on them and the Celtics' stars didn't expect any other kind of reception."
Critics can't get Garnett to go on the defensive
February 19
Boston Globe
 
"Nets assistant coach Sam Mitchell was sitting next to rookie Damion James, who has missed the last two months after foot surgery. On the TD Garden's visiting bench, Mitchell began telling Kevin Garnett stories to James, as if Garnett was a legend of generations past, not the starting power forward with the Celtics. "Kevin never let up in practice,'' Mitchell told him. "If I came to practice and wasn't at my best, he would embarrass me, make me look bad. He brought that every day I played with him. It's no act.'' Mitchell played seven seasons with Garnett in Minnesota, and credits Garnett with extending his career because the way he sees it, if Garnett had not been so relentless in"
Stars: Ticket's fiery as ever
February 19
Boston Herald
 
"A quick sampling of NBA All-Stars reveals the opinions that Kevin Garnett's game is back — and his testy approach to the game never left. "He looks good," Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki said yesterday. "He's got pep in his step again." Tim Duncan has been banging with Garnett since 1997. The Spurs center felt for KG when he went through his knee injury and struggled to return to form. "He's the backbone of that team," Duncan said. "He makes it go. It's just great to see him back looking like he's feeling healthy. "I went through that, too, where you feel hobbled for a couple of years. You feel like you can still get it done, but your body's not letting you do it." Pau Gasol is 1-1 against Garnett"
Kevin Garnett lets guard down for a day
February 19
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett was wearing something that differs from his public norm yesterday. A smile. The epitome of intensity was kicking back as he did his time at the All-Star weekend media session (biggest revelation: he'd be an architect if he hadn't fallen into this dead-end basketball thing). KG was engaging and light as he spoke about the joy of playing with three Celtics teammates and working under Doc Rivers and his staff in tomorrow night's game. But his game face returned as he matter of factly answered questions about the criticism he's taken recently. Players and at least one coach have questioned his tactics on the floor. And Spike Lee ripped him for his bad language, saying Garnett"
Heat next to test wrath of Garnett
February 13
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 columnist Ira Winderman
"The Miami Heat have seen the dark side firsthand, and not all that long ago, when Kevin Garnett was ejected and later suspended for jumping into the Quentin Richardson-Paul Pierce dustup during the opening game of last season's playoff series against the Boston Celtics. At the time, as well as moments before and after, the sentiment was that's just Kevin being Kevin, a fiery player emoting. But now, as the Heat stand poised for their third meeting of the season against the Celtics on Sunday afternoon at TD Garden, the Kevin-being-Kevin sentiment has given way to heightened talk of Garnett instead being a dirty, foul, dangerous presence. And it's not merely about the rhetoric, the Garnett"
Doc Rivers plays defense on Kevin Garnett
February 8
Boston Herald
 
"It's no longer just Charlie Villanueva, Joakim Noah and Channing Frye, the scorned opponents Kevin Garnett has routinely referred to as "nobodies." In recent days Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry, Lakers coach Phil Jackson and movie director Spike Lee have all have spoken out about what they perceive as Garnett's bullying ways. Doc Rivers, asked about the latest round of back talk, including Lee's comment in an interview that Garnett has to calm down, shrugged the whole matter off with some strong words. "That means he's on their minds, and that's fine by me," the Celtics coach said last night. "Kevin has done nothing wrong. He plays the game the right way, and I think all of these people who"
Rondo, Garnett miss Star starts
January 28
Boston Globe
 
"A pair of potential MVP candidates pushed past Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett in fan voting to earn starting spots for the Eastern Conference for the All-Star Game Feb. 20 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Derrick Rose of the Bulls got the nod over Rondo to fill out the backcourt with the Heat's Dwyane Wade. The Knicks' Amar'e Stoudemire joins LeBron James of the Heat at forward, and the Magic's Dwight Howard is the center. Playing in front of the home crowd, Laker Kobe Bryant, the leading vote-getter league-wide, will start for the Western Conference with guard Chris Paul (New Orleans), forwards Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City) and Carmelo Anthony (Denver), and a center of commissioner David"
A spark is provided
January 18
Boston Globe
 
"It was like Kevin Garnett's world was pitch black for two weeks. That's what an injury does to his psyche. He strained his right calf in Detroit, the sight of it looked serious, the reality was that he'd play again. But the waiting — the process of traveling knowing he couldn't play or watching games from the locker room because his body wouldn't allow him to be on the floor — was the difficult part."
No D-nying KG's impact
January 18
Boston Herald
 
"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"
Green-lighting Kevin Garnett
January 17
Boston Herald
 
"There was some medical give-and-take yesterday as the Celtics warmed up for Patriots watching with a hard practice. Kevin Garnett looked good in a full session, but Shaquille O'Neal spent his time in the trainer's room after slipping on snow and ice yesterday morning. (Shaq was treated for an adductor injury in his upper leg; no word on the condition of the earth.) The Celts are hoping Garnett, who suffered a strained right calf Dec. 29, will be able to play tonight, and they certainly need him against the Magic. "He was great," said coach Doc Rivers. "He went through the whole practice. I think Kevin will go (tonight), but, again, we went through practice to see if he could go (tonight) —"
Celtics practice with full starting five
January 17
ESPN.com
 
"Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett and center Kendrick Perkins participated fully in Sunday's practice, marking the first time this season that Boston's familiar starting five were reunited with both Garnett and Perkins back on the floor alongside Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen. It was a morale boost for the injury-plagued squad. "You could just see it with our first unit -- today was the first time this year we had our real first unit on the floor," coach Doc Rivers said. "Offensively and defensively, it was just another level. They could run anything they wanted because everyone knew where everyone else was at.""
Kevin Garnett expected to return from injury on Monday
January 16
Boston Globe
 
"Rajon Rondo had a rewarding start to the season, filled with assists and Celtic victories. But there have been some painful days since, with ankle, hamstring, and plantar fasciitis problems causing him to miss 11 games. But Rondo is doing fine now. And the Celtics will need Rondo to remain healthy as they prepare to host Orlando tomorrow. Kevin Garnett is expected to return from a calf injury but Jermaine O'Neal is contemplating knee surgery. "I'm not 100 percent, but I felt great,'' Rondo said after the Celtics' 99-94 win over Charlotte Friday night. "I was explosive. But not 100 percent.''"