The struggling Boston Celtics just got Kevin Garnett back from injury. They’ll hope he doesn’t trade places with Paul Pierce.

Pierce injured his left foot in the first quarter of Boston’s 99-88 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday. He sat out part of that quarter and all of the fourth even though the win was not certain. The Celtics outscored the Wizards 25-10 without their captain to beat the Wizards.

“I’ll get some X-rays tomorrow, but I think it’s not going to be too bad,” Pierce told reporters after the game, adding that he thought it was a sprain. “I would have known by now [if it was broken]. I think I’ll be all right.”

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said the injury was nothing serious, but he didn’t want to risk aggravating it by pushing Pierce.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com

Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett returned to practice Tuesday, engaging in full activity for the first time since hyperextending his surgically repaired right knee late last month.


By all accounts, Garnett looked fluid and he even expressed a desire to return to game action as soon as possible, though Celtics coach Doc Rivers indicated it will come no sooner than Friday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. Boston is waiting to see how the knee responds in the next few days before making a decision on that contest.

“Felt good to be back with the guys today, [my] first real practice, it felt good,” Garnett said.

Asked if he would push Rivers to put him in the lineup Wednesday night on the road against the Detroit Pistons, Garnett joked, “It wouldn’t be me if I didn’t … [But I'm] being smart about injuries, so they don’t get worse. I think I learned that last year the hard way. I’m trying to be patient and actually listen.”

Click here to read the full article – By Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com

Rajon Rondo’s brilliance for 47 minutes and 58 seconds Sunday night was overshadowed by his inability to even come close on two free throws that would have given the Celtics the lead against the Los Angeles Clippers.


Rondo’s 20-point, 6-assist, 2-steal performance is forgotten because he was unable to convert the last-second freebies, which, along with perimeter shooting, is his biggest weakness.

Rondo appeared unfazed after the Celtics’ 92-90 loss, but not only did he miss the free throws with the score 90-90, his counterpart, Baron Davis, drained a 22-foot, buzzer-beating shot with Rondo looking on helplessly.

Rondo’s success at the line has been an issue most of the season, but, entering last night’s game at Golden State, he improved to 60 percent in December after shooting 38 percent in November. Yet, even after a 7-of-9 showing in a 103-99 loss to the Warriors last night, he’s last on the team at 55.4 percent.

Click here to read the full article – By Gary Washburn of Boston Globe

The NBA fined Celtics forward Rasheed Wallace $30,000 for publicly criticizing officials following Boston’s 116-103 victory over Toronto on Friday night.

Wallace told reporters after Sunday’s win over Miami that he plans to appeal the fine, but stopped himself from getting into more trouble, biting his tongue before elaborating on the subject.

“I’m definitely going to appeal that. I mean, what did I say wrong? You know, if they don’t want … No, I ain’t going to do that,” Wallace said to reporters before stopping in mid-sentence and smiling before departing.

After being whistled for a second-quarter technical foul against the Raptors, Wallace vented postgame about the call — dubbing Toronto’s Hedo Turkoglu a “flopper” — and saying the NBA product had been watered down by such calls.


Click here to read the full article – By Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com

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This was a blowout that did not seem like a blowout. The score – the Celtics defeated the Golden State Warriors last night, 109-95 – indicates a comfortable margin of victory. But the Celtics never appeared to be completely certain of themselves, only briefly able to assert their dominance over a team that was concluding a five-game road trip with eight available players, including Raja Bell, who is scheduled for surgery on his left wrist.

“That team scares the hell out of you,’’ said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. “You want to sub your guys out with five minutes left and you’re worried about them making a 20-0 run in two seconds.’’

Rivers was only secure enough to remove his starters with 2:12 remaining in the game and, even then, he left in center Kendrick Perkins.

But the Celtics (9-3) put on enough of a defensive display to restore some self-confidence as they prepare for tomorrow’s game against Orlando.

Click here to read the full article – By Frank Dell’Apa of The Boston Globe

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