The Return of KG?
The Boston Celtics are hoping they’ll have an extra weapon in their arsenal as they begin their toughest road trip so far this season.
Kevin Garnett has targeted Tuesday’s game at Denver as his possible first appearance in nearly a month, as the Celtics look to extend their five-game winning streak and improve to 17-0 this season against Western Conference opponents.
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Garnett missed the final nine games before the All-Star break and was inactive for the All-Star game with an abdominal strain he suffered against Minnesota on Jan. 25. The Celtics (41-9) were especially cautious about bringing him back, and they managed a 7-2 record in his absence.
"Maybe at the end of the day, in a crazy way, it might be a good thing for the other guys, getting confidence," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "Kevin’s getting rest. So maybe that’s a good thing."
However, as Boston heads West for a challenging five-game road trip that includes stops at Golden State, Phoenix and Portland, the 6-foot-11 forward who has helped transform the Celtics into the NBA’s best team should be a welcome addition.
"I’m back to my old self again," Garnett said Sunday.
Garnett averaged 19.2 points and 9.9 rebounds before his injury, and he anchors the defense of a Boston team that has allowed an NBA-low 89.4 points per game.
Along with Paul Pierce and fellow newcomer Ray Allen, Garnett has already helped the Celtics move within one victory of their first winning season since 2004-05.
"Some teams struggle to get 40 wins in a whole season," Allen said. "We put ourselves in a good spot. It’s in our control. But we want to do better than just control it. We want to own it."
Allen had a game-high 28 points in Sunday’s All-Star game, leading the East to a 134-128 win after he was named to the team as a late injury replacement for Washington’s Caron Butler.
Boston hasn’t lost to a West opponent this season, but keeping that perfect record intact will get considerably tougher this week. The Celtics play four road games in the next six days against teams with a combined home record of 78-27.
They also face a challenging trip in March, when they play consecutive road games against the three Texas teams and New Orleans.
Boston entered the All-Star break on a five-game winning streak, defeating the New York Knicks 111-103 on Wednesday. Pierce had 24 points, Allen added 21 and Rajon Rondo and Leon Powe each chipped in with 18.
Powe has started three consecutive games, averaging 17.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in the last two, as the Celtics have played the last three contests without injured center Kendrick Perkins (shoulder).
Big men Glen Davis (knee) and Brian Scalabrine (groin) were also injured against the Knicks, and it’s unclear if any of the three will play against Denver.
The Nuggets (32-20) are mostly healthy and playing well, with six wins in eight games going into the All-Star break. They lost 109-89 at Orlando on Wednesday but have won nine of their last 10 at home, where they are 21-6 this season.
Carmelo Anthony had 32 points against the Magic, then scored 18 as a starting forward for the West in the All-Star game. He’s averaged 30.3 points in seven February games since missing the last five games of January with a sprained ankle.
Point guard Allen Iverson also started the All-Star game and recorded seven points, six assists and four steals. He’s averaged 10.1 assists over the last eight games, and he and Anthony continue to rank in the top four in the NBA in scoring, averaging more than 26 points apiece.
The Celtics have won three of their last four against the Nuggets, including a 119-93 victory in Boston on Nov. 7 in which they led 77-38 at halftime. The Celtics, though, have lost three straight in Denver.
By: Marc Young – theSpread.com – Email Us
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