Knee-deep in queries

ATLANTA - When Kevin Garnett had a bad game Thursday night against Orlando, thoughts immediately turned to his surgically repaired right knee.

Even when Garnett said the knee, which was hyperextended last month, was not the issue, he was asked if he was just saying that to avoid making an excuse. But he assured he was not. However, the bottom line appears to be that KG is dealing with some residual soreness, but nothing he can’t play with.

Garnett was better against the Hawks last night, going for 15 points and seven rebounds in 33 minutes of the 100-91 loss. He dunked twice and generally looked more athletic.

“Kevin looked great tonight,” said Doc Rivers. “You know, it’s going to be this way for a while with him. He just came back, and (Thursday) he labored in the game, but it wasn’t an injury. He just didn’t have any rhythm. He was out of sync. And today he looked much better. For a while it’s going to be hit or miss.”

Said Garnett, “I was more than fired up tonight, but with me, when it comes to health, you’re just trying to be consistent with it. I’m just trying to give this team a different lift.”

Ray Allen is a veteran of the situation, having played his first season with the Celtics [team stats] after ankle surgery.

“It’s an adjustment,” he said. “When you’re playing the game, you have to learn to manage your body a little bit better. I don’t think it hurts Kevin so much, but you do have to deal with some soreness when you’re coming off surgery.

“And it doesn’t really get better until you get rest. Most people who have surgery don’t do what we do, so they get better faster.”

Said Rivers: “It’s really more of a timing thing. You could see his timing was an issue in the Orlando game. He missed picks, everything. But all you can do is give him more minutes to let him play through it. But I know what he’s going through and you’ve just got to let him go through it.”

Up for surgery

The Celtics recalled J.R. Giddens from Maine of the D-League yesterday, but the second-year swingman wasn’t doing much celebrating.

The move was procedural because Giddens needs surgery to repair meniscus in his left knee. The operation will likely take place next week.

“It’s meniscus,” said Rivers. “It’s nothing big, but you have to take care of it and do a scope (arthroscopic procedure) and come back. I think he’ll be back in like two or three weeks.”

Going on vacation

Allen is making plans to go on vacation during the All-Star break - just as he has done in 2008 and ’09. And he wouldn’t mind if the itinerary gets blown up - just as happened in 2008 and ’09.

The veteran has been an All-Star nine times, the latter pair as a late injury replacement.

“Oh, sure I’ll make plans again,” Allen said. “I look forward to the time off, but at the same time I’ll be ready for whatever comes down.”

He’s not as close to a bid this time around, but the trip plans may just be the good luck charm that gets commissioner David Stern to dial Allen’s number.

“The last two years . . . We did all the plans and flights and everything, and then we’ve had to cancel it,” Allen said. “But I was obviously fine with that.”

As a veteran of the big NBA weekend, Allen is sure to have advice for first-time All-Star Rajon Rondo [stats].

“Rondo’s probably going to run around with his head cut off,” Allen said. “There’s so much going on. All day long people are going to be telling him about this event and that party. You sometimes say yes to everything, and then you realize how much time you don’t have. You have meetings and things you’re required to be at.”