PHOENIX — Kevin Garnett just went through a full shootaround with the Celts and a post-practice shooting session, but he could well be held out of the next two games — tonight against the Suns and Saturday against Toronto.
Garnett missed one game last week with a right thigh bruise, and he got kicked in the same leg in Monday’s loss to Golden State. Though these latest issues are in the same area, trainer Ed Lacerte said, through the team, that this current situation is not related to the problems that caused Garnett to get surgery on the right knee this past offseason.
Still, Celtics [team stats] coach Doc Rivers doesn’t want things getting worse, and the schedule is set up to get Garnett a maximum break with minimal missed games.
“If I do decide to sit him, I’m not sitting him for one game, I can tell you that,” Rivers said. “And I told Kevin that. I don’t think he loves to hear that. If I decide, I’m sitting him for a while.
“I just don’t want to go down that road. It’s early in the season. We’ve got tonight and then we’ve got two days (without a game) and then we’ve got three days after that (before playing next Wednesday in Miami). To me, if you’re going to rest guys, this is the perfect time to do it. And, again, I don’t know if I’m going to do that, but right now I can tell you I’m leaning that way heavy.”
As the team got on the bus to head back to its hotel here, Rivers was saying he’s more concerned with getting Garnett right for the long term.
“Obviously you have to look big picture,” Rivers said. “That’s what this is all about. So we’ll see, but right now I can tell you I’m leaning heavy that way. Someone would have to talk me out of it.”
Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo [stats] is still bothered by a sore left hamstring, and while Rivers said he is questionable for tonight’s game against the Suns, the point guard said he is playing.
Posts
