Okay, so I'm sneaking in one more. I was perusing Twitter and came across this on ESPN Boston. Red's Army also deserves some love for being the original discoverers. Apparently Kevin Garnett has a blog with ANTA - the Chinese sneaker/athletic company that he signed a deal with over the offseason. In his latest entry, Garnett discusses his recovery from his right calf strain. 

When I'm not playing, I hate talking hoops, so sorry for not blogging. You know how when you ain't a part of something, it hurts to talk about it. That's how I feel. Know what I mean?
Don't get it messed up, just cause I ain't playing don't mean I'm not working out. I'm working super hard and feeling good...After the game, Dr. looked at my leg and we're close. Real close to getting back...Pre game, I worked out at the arena in the Bull's workout room. Anytime I get to workout around another team, my gas gets going. I was killing the weights and wanted to play.

You can read Garnett's full blog post here. As Red's Army noted, the site itself is in Chinese, but apparently Google Chrome translates it. 

I sat here for a good 20 or 30 minutes, trying to think of a way to get this piece under way, and, well, nothing came to me. I couldn't think of anything particularly witty or clever, so I think it's best to just be straightforward: I will be leaving CelticsBlog for the next several months while I pursue a semester-long internship as part of my academic curriculum at Endicott College. 

It's always difficult saying goodbye to something you love, and this is no exception. I cannot express how much I thoroughly enjoy everything about this site and the community that has developed here. I will say that I have every intention of returning to CelticsBlog at the conclusion of my internship, which should be right around when the summer of 2011 is kicking off. Jeff Clark and the rest of the wonderful staff are kind enough to leave the door open for me, and, as I said, I have every intention of walking back through it. In the meantime, I hope to still be a part of the community, and comment frequently on the wonderful work Jeff and co. will undoubtedly continue to produce. 

With all of this in mind, some heartfelt thank yous are certainly in order. First and foremost, to the readers. I honestly cannot thank you enough for taking the time, day in and day out, to read my articles and to comment on them afterward. A truly fantastic community has developed here and I am very proud to say I have been a part of it and will continue to be a part of it. 

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The Boston Celtics had put forth a week of superlative offensive performances, only to see that trend take a nosedive once their run-in with the Chicago Bulls commenced last night. 

Here are some offensive numbers from the Celtics' previous four games:

Sunday at Toronto: 38-70 (54.2 percent), 30 assists, 93 points

Monday vs. Minnesota: 37-82 (45.1 percent), 22 assists, 96 points, 

Wednesday vs. San Antonio: 46-75 (61.3 percent), 34 assists, 105 points, 

Friday vs. Toronto: 46-80 (57.5 percent), 31 assists, 122 points

And then there was this against the Bulls last night:

28-74 (37.8 percent), 12 assists, 79 points

Yikes. What exactly caused such a drastic drop-off in offensive output? 

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The Celtics led by nine early in the first quarter, but found themselves down by double-digits in the fourth quarter, and couldn't secure the necessary defensive stops down the stretch, as they fall to the Chicago Bulls, 90-79. 

• The Celtics finished with a season-low 12 assists on 28 made baskets. The Celtics shot a mere 37.8 percent from the field. 
• The Bulls out-rebounded the Celtics 48-27. There was also a noticeable difference in free throws. The Bulls took 35 and made 25, while the Celtics made just 18 of 22. 
• Derrick Rose (36 points, 5 rebounds) nearly took as many free throws as the Celtics as a team (15-19 from the stripe). 
• Carlos Boozer, who played much better compared to the last time we saw him, shot 9-15 from the floor and finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
• Paul Pierce finished with 21 points, but only one of those points came in the fourth quarter. Ray Allen, meanwhile, finished with 19 points, but was held scoreless in the fourth quarter. The Celtics, as a team, scored only 12 fourth quarter points. Boston shot 5-17 (29.4 percent) in the final frame.
• The Bulls, meanwhile, shot 9-14 from the field in the fourth quarter (64.2 percent). They were shooting 44.9 percent through three quarters and ended the game shooting 49.2 percent. 
• Four of the Celtics' five starters took at least 13 shots, but only one of them (Allen) shot at least 50 percent from the field (7-13). 
• The Celtics only got 10 points from the bench tonight. 
• The Celtics shot just 39.5 percent in the first half and as a result trailed 46-42. The Celtics certainly benefited from the Bulls' 10 first half turnovers. 
• The Celtics missed Kevin Garnett's presence inside tonight, particularly on the glass. I also chalk this one up to the Celtics playing their 8th game in the last 12 nights. 

The Toronto Raptors played the Celtics tough in the team's previous three meetings, but such was not the case tonight, as the Celtics assumed control early and cruised to a 122-102 victory. 

• The Celtics closed the first quarter on a 17-5 run as they assumed a 34-22 edge heading into the second frame. From there, the Celtics extended their lead to 22 (67-45) at halftime. The 67 points was a season-high for most points in a half. 
• The Raptors threatened late in the third and early in the fourth, cutting the lead down to 12 at one point, but the Celtics responded each time, and in the blink of an eye they had a 115-91 cushion built up with 3:28 left in the game. 
• Luke Harangody, ladies and gentlemen. The rookie forward posted a career-high 17 points to go along with 11 rebounds - his first career double-double. His jump shot was falling and he converted inside off of some nice feeds from his teammates. He scored 11 of his 17 in the first half. He also made some quality plays on defense, such as rotating back towards the hoop and swatting an Ed Davis shot attempt late in the third frame. 
• Ray Allen continued his hot shooting, knocking down six of eight baskets and finishing with 17 points. Paul Pierce added 20 points of his own on 6-10 shooting while adding five rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
• Shaquille O'Neal was once again a force inside, scoring 12 points and pulling down six rebounds. He hauled in his first offensive rebounds since December 22. He and Rondo had a good vibe working tonight, as they connected on a small collection of alley-oops. 
• Nate Robinson added 15 points off the bench, and appeared to be benefiting from Marquis Daniels running the show for the second unit. Robinson served as more of a scorer tonight, and it appeared to pay off. Speaking of Daniels (happy 30th birthday, by the way), he notched a steady six points and four assists off the bench. 
• Perhaps most importantly, all the starters played less than 30 minutes, with the exception being Glen Davis who played 33. We'll take it. 
• Limiting the minutes was key tonight, as the Celtics will play their 8th game in 12 nights tomorrow night against the Chicago Bulls. Also, if you didn't see it, Kevin Garnett could be back next week - possibly as early as Monday. 

Kevin Garnett could return to the Celtics' lineup as early as Monday, when Boston hosts the Houston Rockets, according to The Boston Globe:

Lost in the Kendrick Perkins-Delonte West updates was the fact that Doc Rivers casually slipped in a possible Monday return for Kevin Garnett.

Being optimistic, Rivers said Kevin Garnett could return to the (lineup) next week, keeping with the two-week window that the team initially set after Garnett strained his right calf Dec. 29 in Detroit.

Assuming his injury is fully healed, I don't think anyone will complain about that. 

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Jermaine O'Neal won't win any scoring titles this season, nor is he likely to lead the league in field-goal percentage (he's currently shooting 43.8 percent from the field for those that are curious), but that's fine, since his true value to the Boston Celtics this season will materialize on the other end of the floor. 

Defense and rebounding will be Jermaine O'Neal's calling cards, which is especially important considering his role off the bench. Hampered by injuries, Boston's bench as been in flux all season long, and some defensive stability could do wonders for the Second Five. O'Neal's no stranger to the injury bug, as a hamstring issue derailed his training camp and preseason, before lingering soreness in his left knee kept him out of the lineup for 19 straight games.

When he returned from his 19-game absence on Christmas Day against the Orlando Magic, he suffered through the typical post-injury speed bumps, most likely due to a lack of rhythm, and that carried over into his second game back against the Indiana Pacers as well. 

Since those two games, however, O'Neal's production has increased and remained fairly consistent. The numbers aren't overwhelming by any means: 6 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks over the course of his last five games. But it's been enough to earn the appreciation of Doc Rivers, who's been complimenting O'Neal throughout the last handful of games, and the compliments continued after last night's win over the Spurs.

"I thought Jermaine O'Neal, honestly, was just absolutely huge for us," Rivers said. "We left him out there, he defended Tim (Duncan) one-on-one for the most part, he got blocks, he gave us defensive energy. He was absolutely sensational." 

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Rajon Rondo scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, dished out 22 assists, and stole the ball six times as the Boston Celtics defeated the San Antonio Spurs at home, 105-103.

Rondo stole a Manu Ginobili pass with 1:59 left in the game with the Celtics leading 98-96, and the new possession eventually turned into a Ray Allen three-pointer from the left wing (courtesy of Paul Pierce), putting Boston ahead 101-96. After Glen Davis drew a charge on a driving Richard Jefferson, Rondo converted a high-arching floater in the lane, good for a 103-96 Celtics lead. Ray Allen stole the ball from George Hill and converted a layup in transition (105-96), but Ginobili buried a three-pointer and Tony Parker stole the ball from Pierce and converted a layup, trimming the Celtics' lead to just four (105-101) with 42.1 seconds to play. The Celtics turned it over on their next possession on an errant pass by Nate Robinson and Jefferson converted two free throws (105-103). Robinson, however, responded by rebounding a Pierce miss and feeding an open Allen who was fouled with 8.1 left on the clock. Unfortunately, Allen missed both free throws, leaving the Spurs 7.4 seconds left to tie or win the game. Ginobili attempted a three-pointer to win the game, but Pierce blocked the shot to seal the win for Boston.

• Shooting 60.7 percent from the field through three quarters, the Celtics carried a 77-72 edge into the final frame, and a Nate Robinson jump shot at the 10:36 mark increased Boston's lead to 79-72. The Spurs clawed back however, behind Manu Ginobili, who poured in 20 points in the fourth quarter. 
• Ray Allen, despite missing two free throws in the final seconds, still had a terrific shooting night: 13-16 from the field for 31 points. San Antonio struggled all night defending him as he weaved his way around mammoth screens from Glen Davis and Shaquille O'Neal.
• Glen Davis was key on the offensive end all night, burying a slew of jump shots and converting a few buckets inside during the second half. He finished with a season-high 23 points on 10-18 shooting. 
• Paul Pierce was excellent from the field as well, shooting 70 percent for the game (7-10), and finishing with 18 points. 
• I really want to highlight Pierce and Rondo's respective efforts on the glass tonight, particularly with Kevin Garnett still out of the lineup. They combined for 17 of Boston's 36 rebounds.
• Marquis Daniels came on strong late, scoring all six of his points in the fourth quarter. 
• Despite the comeback, the Celtics held the Spurs to just 39.1 percent shooting in the fourth quarter. They shot 12-19 (63.1 percent) in the fourth quarter themselves. 
• The Celtics finished with 34 assists (Rondo had 22 of those (and that's not even a season-high for him)) on 46 made baskets. 

Kevin Garnett, who suffered a strained right calf against the Detroit Pistons on December 29, returned to the practice floor today, according to The Boston Globe:

Just a week after suffering a right calf strain, Kevin Garnett returned to the court today at the Celtics' practice facility in Waltham to take some jumpers. Garnett wore his customary practice uniform and tights covering his legs but there was no brace or protection for the calf.

That link to the Globe's page also has two photos of Garnett on the floor. 

Contracts of Wafer and West Guaranteed

Also, according to Jessica Camerato and Chris Forsberg via Twitter, the Celtics will guarantee the contracts of guards Delonte West and Von Wafer. 

Every Celtics reporter will probably have something to say about Von Wafer today, and why not? The reserve guard, who's been playing better and better of late, gave the Celtics 15 vital minutes last night, putting forth his finest performance of the season: 10 points on 4-8 shooting to go along with a team-high (tied with Paul Pierce) six rebounds. 

Despite labeling himself as an "offensive player" back on Media Day, it's arguably been Wafer's defense (and a few injuries to other key players) that has earned him more time on the court lately. He's been especially adept at anticipating opponents' passes and streaking in for key steals, and he added another one to the books last night when he swiped Minnesota's sideline inbounds pass with 6:53 left in the second quarter, sprinted down the court, and laid in a tough layup in transition while being fouled by rookie Wesley Johnson. It was a classic example of turning defense into offense. 

Another surprising thing about Wafer, of late, is that when he has had success on the offensive end of the floor, his points are coming mainly off of drives to the rim, as opposed to jump shots, despite his reputation entering the season as a jump shooter and not much more. Last night, six of his 10 points were scored right at the rim - the aforementioned steal and layup, a putback off of his own miss (on a somewhat out-of-control drive to the rim) with 1:07 left in the third, and then a streaking finger roll in transition on a feed from Pierce, which all began with Wafer grabbing the defensive rebound and making the first outlet pass to Nate Robinson. 

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Paul Pierce scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half, and the Boston Celtics squeaked by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 96-93.

Trailing 85-77 with 6:54 to play, the Celtics went on a 15-4 run to assume a 92-89 advantage with 1:13 left, capped off by two Glen Davis free throws. Ray Allen hit two threes and Pierce added one of his own during the run. After Michael Beasley hit a jumper from the left wing (92-91, Celtics), Rajon Rondo knocked down a jump shot from the free throw line as Luke Ridnour retreated off of him on the defensive end, putting Boston back up 94-91. Beasley hit again from the left side (94-93, Celtics), and Rondo missed a jumper from the right corner, giving the Wolves 10.3 seconds to try and win the game. Beasley inbounded to Ridnour who had a wide-open lane to the hoop, but he was called for a travel. It didn't matter, as Allen absolutely rejected the shot anyway after rotating over on defense. Nate Robinson hit two free throws with 4.6 seconds left (96-93, Celtics), Pierce fouled Beasley wisely (the Celtics had one to waste), and Beasley's three at the buzzer on the ensuing inbounds pass went begging. 

• I'm actually kind of mad Ridnour traveled, because Ray's block was that good. Although, the Celtics did get the ball back because Ridnour traveled...Meanwhile, Ray finished with 20 points - 10 in the first half and 10 in the second. 
• Kevin Love came as advertised, as he finished with a 12-point, 24-rebound double-double. At halftime he had 15 rebounds of his own, while the Celtics, as a team, had 14. He scored only one point after halftime, however, and airballed an important shot down the stretch in the fourth.
• Pierce was dynamite in the third quarter, scoring 15 of his 23 in the frame when the Celtics were in desperate need of some offense. 
• Rajon Rondo reverted to his old form with 16 assists tonight. One thing I'd like to note about Rondo: He admitted before the game his ankle's still limiting him somewhat, and it looked like he was penetrating less than usual tonight. He was still able to make key plays down the stretch and get other guys involved, though. 
• Von Wafer played an excellent game tonight, as he scored a season-high 10 points and a season-high six rebounds. He was aggressive going to the basket, he was aggressive on the glass, and he played credible defense once again. He was Boston's leading rebounder at halftime (4).
• Glen Davis added 17 points, but took 15 shots. He took 8 of the Celtics' 20 shots in the first quarter, with the majority of them being mid-range jump shots. 

Rajon Rondo was back in the starting lineup after missing the last seven games, and the Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors, 93-79.

• The Celtics carried a 71-62 lead into the fourth quarter, and after Toronto crawled back to within five midway through, the Celtics essentially sealed things with a 7-0 run beginning at the 4:16 mark, on a ridiculous Paul Pierce dunk/throw-in in traffic. Ray Allen followed that up with a three-pointer (from Pierce) and a jumper in the lane to give the Celtics an 87-75 lead with 3:04 to play.
• If Pierce's dunk isn't #1 on SportsCenter tomorrow, I'm writing a letter...
• Rondo looked a tad bit rusty, which was to be expected, and picking up two quick personal fouls in the first quarter didn't help him establish a rhythm. He finished with four points, eight assists, a rebound, a steal, and five turnovers in 34 minutes. 
• Pierce finished with 30 points, but he looked like he tweaked his right ankle after slamming it home on a fast break with 1:34 to play. It didn't look to be serious, but he left the game to most likely get treatment. 
• Glen Davis played a complete game tonight, posting 15 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high eight assists to go along with two steals. It was a nice bounce-back game for him, as he shot 6-14 from the field.
• Ray Allen finished with 23 points, with 17 of them coming in the second half. He and Pierce shot a combined 20-33 from the field, including 6-8 from three-point nation. 
• The Celtics shared the ball, as they racked up 30 assists on 38 baskets.
• More positive play out of Von Wafer (how about those aggressive drives to the rim? I don't care if he's supposed to be a jump shooter...) and Luke Harangody (finally got a jump shot to drop). 
• Toronto held the edge in fastbreak points (29-15), points in the paint (42-32), and offensive rebounds (19-2), but it was not enough. As a team, the Raptors shot just 1-14 from three-point nation. 
• Some game-changing plays: With 9:24 remaining, Luke Harangody lost the ball, but dove to the floor and punched it out to Nate Robinson, who swung it over to Ray Allen, who buried a three-pointer along the left wing, making it 74-68, Celtics. Also, at the end of the third quarter, Paul Pierce hit a deep three from the right wing off of a Jermaine O'Neal offensive rebound, which he fought valiantly for. O'Neal finished with six points and six rebounds off the bench. 

Celtics Not Making Excuses

As Doc Rivers suggested following the Celtics' 83-81 loss to the New Orleans Hornets, no one is going to feel sorry for his team as it attempts to overcome a rash of injuries that has brought down a number of key players, which means there's no time for excuses these days. Jermaine O'Neal, who's steadily been improving on the court since his Christmas Day return, echoed a similar statement (Courtesy of The Boston Herald):

"If we want to be a championship-caliber team then you can't have excuses," Jermaine O'Neal said. "The conversation coming into the season was how deep we are. When Kevin's out for a while and Rondo's been out, do we say we should lose? No, we don't say that."

As I've said in the past (because this certainly isn't the first time in the last three seasons this team has dealt with these types of injuries) it's all well and good to say the right things, which the Celtics are doing, but it only gains substance when those words are turned into actions on the court and we see results in the win column. Let's see how they fare tonight against the 11-21 Toronto Raptors. 

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The execution on the Celtics' final play yesterday evening certainly left something to be desired. Technically, the player they wanted shooting the ball - Ray Allen - shot the ball, but the play, as a whole, was a mess. 

The play called for a pick-and-roll between Paul Pierce and Ray Allen up top, which occurred, with Pierce as the ballhandler and Allen as the screener. The Hornets switched, meaning Marco Belinelli was now guarding Pierce, while Trevor Ariza was now chasing Allen. Doc Rivers said afterward the Celtics wanted the Hornets to switch, so that Pierce could go to work on the smaller Belinelli. 

"We got the switch," said Rivers. "We wanted Belinelli to switch on Paul - smaller guy with a bigger guy. Try to force Ariza to maybe help and then you got Ray standing behind the three." 

After hearing that quote, it sounds as though the Celtics wanted Allen to flare to the left wing and have Pierce drive middle, otherwise what would make Ariza potentially help? If Pierce had driven right, Ariza would have had no business crossing to that side of the court to help and leaving Allen open along the left wing. However, Pierce did initially drive right as Allen made his way to the left wing, but my guess is Pierce was intending to cross back to his left on Belinelli after maybe one or two dribbles, which would have put him in a position to get his own shot easier, or - if Ariza did help the way the Celtics wanted him to - find a potentially open Allen. 

Also, it sounds like the Celtics were set on attempting a game-winning three-pointer, as opposed to a game-tying two-pointer. 

Unfortunately, in the midst of Pierce's initial move to the right, things went downhill rather quickly.  

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The Celtics' bench is rather meager these days, largely due to two of its prized possessions - Glen Davis and Nate Robinson - currently serving as starters while the likes of Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo nurse their own injuries. Add in that Delonte West, Semih Erden, and Kendrick Perkins are also on the shelf, and the C's are really left with two rookies in Avery Bradley and Luke Harangody, a center coming back from a month-long absence in Jermaine O'Neal, Marquis Daniels, and Von Wafer. But perhaps surprisingly, with Ray Allen serving as something of an anchor at times, it was that very group that brought the Celtics back in the fourth quarter yesterday and presented them with an opportunity to win in the final minutes. 

Daniels was perhaps the primary orchestrator of Boston's pivotal run at the start of the final frame, as he helped to get things rolling by feeding Jermaine O'Neal on a drive for an easy two-handed dunk, before hitting a tough layup on the right side off of a drive of his own, bringing the score, which was 66-57 to start, to 66-61. After Nate Robinson stole the ball on the other end at the top of the key and streaked in for a layup, Daniels knocked down a tough leaning jumper in the paint, making it 66-65, New Orleans. Just like that, the Celtics were back in business, and Daniels had a hand in six of his club's first eight points. 

Earlier in the week, Jay King noted that, at times, Daniels is capable of taking over a game, and he was in such a zone yesterday evening. It was just the latest in a string of noteworthy performances from Daniels this week, initiated by his 12-point outburst (a fair description when talking about Daniels) against his former club, the Indiana Pacers, on Tuesday. Jay also alluded to my biggest gripe with Daniels in his article: His tendency to disappear at times. My only real complaint about Daniels ever since he joined the Celtics has been his consistency - or lack thereof, the majority of the time. But he's in the midst of one of his finest weeks as a Celtic, and the club is benefiting immensely from his improved (and consistent) play. 

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The Celtics trailed heading into the fourth quarter, fought back, but ultimately couldn't prevail, and they lose to the Hornets, 83-81 in heartbreaking fashion. 

Boston faced a nine-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, but erupted for a 16-0 run to start the final frame to assume a 73-66 lead with 6:27 left to play. 

New Orleans wasn't done, however. A Belinelli three-pointer gave New Orleans the lead back (77-75) with 3:07 left. After Robinson tied things with a fast break layup, Trevor Ariza buried a three-pointer (Pierce covered him as well as we could have hoped for) as the shot clock expired, putting the Hornets up 80-77. Glen Davis then took an ill-advised three-point attempt, which he missed (and drew the ire of Doc Rivers), and then lost West on the defensive end, who buried a jumper to put New Orleans up 82-77. Pierce hit a runner (82-79), the Celtics secured a stop on the defensive end, Ray Allen was fouled in the rebounding process, and then hit both free throws with 21 ticks left (82-81, Hornets). The C's fouled Chris Paul following a timeout (they had a foul to give), and then denied Paul and forced the ball into David West, who hit only one of two free throws with 19.6 seconds left (83-81, Hornets). Down by two, the Celtics fed Pierce at the top of the key, who drove right and almost lost the ball out of bounds, saved it to Ray Allen, who forced a jump shot on the left side and missed, and Chris Paul secured the rebound for New Orleans. 

• Turnovers hindered the Celtics for the majority of the afternoon/evening. They turned the ball over on their first three possessions, and had already accumulated 17 (according to the telecast) heading into the fourth frame. 
• The offense was rather helter-skelter through the first three quarters. Boston trailed 23-19 at the end of the first quarter, led 39-37 at halftime, and was promptly outscored 29-18 in the third quarter, even though the C's shot a respectable 10-16 in the frame. Boston finished the game with 16 assists on 34 made baskets. 
• Great minutes from Marquis Daniels today. He impacted the game in every which way possible. He scored 10 points, grabbed three rebounds, dished out four assists, stole the ball twice, and blocked two shots. 
• Von Wafer and Luke Harangody both gave Boston solid minutes this afternoon. Wafer was active defensively and on the offensive glass, while Harangody gave his typical energy and was a part of the key run at the start of the fourth quarter (he teamed with Robinson, Allen, Jermaine O'Neal, and Daniels). 
• Allen scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, with 10 of them coming in the fourth quarter. 
• Jermaine O'Neal, while not effective every minute he was out there, had perhaps his most productive game since returning from injury. He scored eight points, grabbed six rebounds, and had three key blocks on the defensive end. 
• The Celtics struggled mightily from three-point nation, hitting only three of their 16 field goal attempts (18.8 percent). 

Boston Celtics (24-6) vs. New Orleans Hornets (18-14)

Friday, December 31, 2010

3:00pm

TV: Comcast SportsNet [] Radio: WEEI

Location: TD Garden - Boston, Massachusetts

Game Thread [] Chat Room

Update on Rondo: Okay, despite conflicting reports a few moments ago, it has now been confirmed that Rajon Rondo will not play today against the New Orleans Hornets. 

Seeking to respond after a messy loss to the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday evening, the Boston Celtics will welcome in the Chris Paul-led New Orleans Hornets today at 3:00pm.

For the first time this season the Celtics will be without power forward and defensive anchor Kevin Garnett, who suffered a strained right calf in the first quarter against the Pistons on Wednesday. 

We might also be denied one of the better point guard matchups of the season today, as Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo is listed as questionable, as he continues to work his way back from ankle, hamstring, and foot injuries. Paul and Rondo - two of the NBA's premiere point guards - have gone at each other hard in the past, including last year's bout on November 1, in which both earned technical fouls after clashing briefly under the basket in the second quarter. When the game was over, Rondo and Paul exchanged words as their respective teams were making their ways to the locker rooms. 

But besides their own personal feuds of the past, it would just be a great treat for fans to see two great point guards go head-to-head this afternoon. However, that all depends on the physical state Rondo is currently in. I'll post updates on Rondo's status as they become available closer to game-time. 

The Hornets were one of the league's hottest teams at the start of the season, winning eight straight games to start the year, and 11 of their first 12. So far in the month of December, however, the Hornets are just 6-9, and have gone only 2-5 against teams that are over .500. Additionally, the Hornets are 0-6 on the road so far in December, with losses at Philadelphia, Detroit, Indiana, and Minnesota on their resume. 

Currently, the Hornets are ranked 20th in the league in offensive efficiency (102.2 points per 100 possessions), but a much better 7th in defensive efficiency (99.9 points allowed per 100 possessions). 

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Danny Ainge appeared on WEEI's The Big Show earlier this afternoon and spoke at length about Kevin Garnett, who suffered a "lower right leg" injury against the Detroit Pistons last night. Ainge stated that Garnett is dealing with a calf injury and not a knee injury - most likely a strained calf, and he will most likely miss two weeks. 

"Kevin had an MRI and a thorough examination today and it's the same as last night. It's just a muscle - I say just - but it's a muscle injury, a strained calf...It's actually the muscle (on the) softer side of the legs below the knee, and it's not anything to do with his knee, which is great news. It's one of those injuries that he may be out for a couple of weeks at the most I would say...I'll just say two weeks and that's on a very conservative side." 

Cue the biggest sigh of relief perhaps of my entire life. Hallelujah. 

A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com spoke with Danny Ainge earlier, who reiterated that Kevin Garnett did not injure (or re-injure) his right knee last night. 

"Everything that I have been told," Ainge told CSNNE.com, "it has to do with the muscle and not the knee, which is a good thing, obviously."

Ainge said he was watching the game when Garnett suffered the injury while going up for an uncontested dunk in the first quarter.

Moments later, Ainge was on the phone talking to the C's medical staff at the game.

Also, according to the same report, the Celtics' medical staff did not feel as though an MRI was absolutely necessary for Garnett today, but they went ahead with it for precautionary reasons after Garnett was the one who initially suggested it. 

Also, Cedric Maxwell, guest hosting on WEEI this afternoon, spoke with Garnett on the team bus last night after the game. Garnett told him that he felt a burning sensation in his calf, which also reinforces the notion that the injury is unrelated to Garnett's knee. Maxwell noted that Garnett might have pulled his calf muscle. It is possible to pull the calf muscle off of the bone, but Maxwell said he asked head trainer Ed Lacerte about that, and Lacerte said he did not think Garnett did that. 

Doc Rivers appeared on WEEI's The Dennis and Callahan Morning Show earlier this morning and spoke on a number of topics, including Kevin Garnett, who injured his right leg last night. As expected he did not really have any new information on Garnett's status, but here's what he said:

"Well, I can't tell you much more than what you know already. He hurt his knee last night, or his leg, and they're going to do more tests today. I think he'll do an MRI. We do think it's muscle-related, we don't think it has anything to do with the knee, but we don't know. So we're just going to wait and see."

At the tail end of the interview, Doc was asked when he expects to learn more about Garnett's injury:

"I'll know by the end of the day. I think we're in good shape here, but you just never know, and I'm just going to wait for the MRI. But I should know by mid-afternoon, or sometime today."

On the current state of Rajon Rondo:

"Rondo's day-to-day, I don't know if we'll see him tomorrow or not, but he's getting close. So far each time he's worked out there's been some swelling, and that's a concern, so we're going to take it slow and we're not going to push him back. We're just going to wait until he's ready to play."

Hit the jump for what Doc had to say regarding the immediate future of the team's rotation (given that Garnett will most likely miss a few games coming up) and reaction to the interview. 

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Latest update on Garnett: Apparently Garnett injured his right calf and not his right knee. Doc Rivers said after the game that he's not overly concerned, that he doesn't think the injury is that serious, but he expects Garnett to miss some games. Here's a recent tweet from Sean Grande:

On the bus, headed for the airport. KG is here. To repeat our post game; not the knee & not a fracture, but calf and muscular. Don't panic.

The Boston Celtics fall to the Detroit Pistons, 104-92. 

The real news tonight was obviously Kevin Garnett's first quarter departure after he came up limping following a dunk with roughly 2:39 left in the opening frame. The issue was dubbed a "lower right leg injury", X-rays came back negative (no fractures), and he'll have an MRI tomorrow in Boston. I suspect we won't know too much more until the results of that MRI are released. Gary Tanguay said during a commercial break on the telecast that it is apparently not a knee injury, but more of an issue with Garnett's right calf. We can only hope. 

As for the game...

• Boston trailed 74-62 heading into the fourth quarter, and despite a valiant effort from Paul Pierce, the C's could never close within more than nine points. Pierce really did his best to take the game over and lift his teammates, but the Celtics couldn't earn the necessary stops on defense. Charlie Villanueva, Tracy McGrady, and Richard Hamilton all hit key shots as the Pistons fought to maintain their lead. Doc Rivers and his players did not seem to be very pleased with the officiating. 
• Pierce scored a game-high 33 points, with 13 of those coming in the fourth quarter. 
• The Celtics were already playing somewhat sluggish when Garnett was in the game, but things went downhill steadily once he left. The Celtics trailed by as many as 11 in the first half, more than likely somewhat deflated by the loss of Garnett. 
• Turnovers hurt the Celtics throughout the entire game, but especially in the first half. The C's turned the ball over eight times in the first quarter, and 13 times in the opening 24 minutes. For the game, the Celtics gave the ball away a season-high 21 times, compared to just 18 assists. The ball wasn't moving tonight as often as we are used to seeing it moved.
• Jermaine O'Neal's been back only a few games now, but tonight was his best night back production-wise, as he scored seven points and grabbed six rebounds. 
• Von Wafer and Luke Harangody also contributed valuable minutes tonight. Wafer was good defensively, and Harangody brought his usual hustle. 

Latest Update: Apparently it's not a knee injury. Reports from Comcast SportsNet are indicating that it's some sort of calf injury. Doc Rivers deemed it a "muscle" injury in his post game press conference, hinted that it might not be a serious injury, but expects Garnett to miss a few games. 

Update #5: Mike Gorman just said on the telecast that there is no indication that it's a right knee injury. It's being deemed a "lower leg injury", but not necessarily a knee injury. 

Update #4: Adrian Wojnarowski just tweeted that Garnett will have an MRI back in Boston tomorrow. Also, here's the final part of one of Sean Grande's recent tweets: "Players indicating its not as bad as it looked." 

Update #3: A.Sherrod Blakely just tweeted that X-rays on Garnett's right knee came back negative, which means there is no type of fracture. 

Update #2: Comcast SportsNet just showed footage of Garnett heading back to the locker room after receiving X-rays, still moving under his own power. He was resting one hand on Lacerte's shoulder for some support. I suppose we should take some solace in the fact that Garnett's able to walk on his own, albeit it gingerly. 

Update #1: Greg Dickerson just reported on the telecast that Garnett's injury is being deemed a "lower right leg injury", and he is now going for X-rays. He will not return tonight.

Original news of the injury after the jump. 

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Including last night's win over the Indiana Pacers, six of the Celtics' next eight games will be played on back-to-back nights - a grueling stretch at a less than ideal point in time of the season. Many have openly brought up the possibility of a post-Christmas hangover, and the schedule might not be helping matters, particularly because the majority of the teams the C's are battling are of a lesser caliber. While some would see that as a good thing, I could easily argue that a lack of motivation could result in some sluggish and uninspired play from Boston. 

The C's defeated the Pacers 95-83 last night and find themselves in Detroit tonight, where Kevin Garnett and Charlie Villanueva will meet for the first time since the whole "cancer patient" incident back on November 2. From there, the Celtics will take Thursday off before meeting up with the Hornets back in Boston for a game on Friday. After taking Saturday off, it's off to Toronto to play the Raptors on Sunday before returning home to play the Timberwolves on Monday and having only Tuesday off before hosting the Spurs on Wednesday. While playing the Spurs might be the highlight of the week, the Celtics will be right back in action Friday and Saturday when they host the Raptors and then fly to Chicago to play the Bulls. 

If you're keeping track, that's six games in the next nine days, and eight games in the next 12 (including last night's win). That's ridiculous. And technically, it doesn't really get easier from there. After taking on the Bulls next Saturday, the Celtics play the following Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, before having a full two days off on January 15th and 16th. It all adds up to 11 games in 18 days. The C's won't see two straight days off from here until January 15th and 16th. Perhaps this is one of those stretches where we see just how resilient these aging and banged up Celtics really are. 

More on the schedule and a brief look at Avery Bradley after the jump.

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A strong fourth quarter from the Celtics (24-5) overshadowed their struggles in the first three as they knocked off the Indiana Pacers, (score), and got back into the win column. 

• The Celtics assumed control of this one late in the third quarter and in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter, largely on the shoulders of Marquis Daniels, Ray Allen and Glen Davis. Late in the third, Daniels exploited a mismatch with the smaller T.J. Ford, scoring two straight buckets and helping the Celtics trim a 10-point deficit (60-50) into a much more manageable one-point gap heading into the fourth quarter (67-66). 
• The Celtics stormed out of the gates in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 unanswered points. Daniels contributed a jumper and then fed Davis and Von Wafer for baskets, before Allen buried a jumper of his own. Later, Daniels found Davis for another long jump shot, and then fed Allen for a three-pointer along the left wing to give Boston an 82-71 lead. 
• While Daniels was key while Boston was closing things out, Paul Pierce was key in bringing his club back when it trailed early in the second quarter. With the C's trailing 34-25, Pierce scored their next 10 points, helping to trim the deficit to a more reasonable six points (38-32). Boston would ultimately trail by only two at the half (47-45).
• Pierce finished the night with 21 points and added five rebounds and seven assists. 
• Daniels finished with 12 points, five rebounds, four assists, and two blocks (a key one down the stretch in the fourth to help halt a Pacers comeback). Perhaps he had some extra motivation playing against his former club. 
• Ray Allen added 17 points and Glen Davis contributed 14.
• Despite shooting just 4-10 from the field (although he did bury a crucial bucket with three minutes left to help seal it), Kevin Garnett still finished with 11 points and added 13 rebounds. 
• Shaquille O'Neal fouled out for the second straight game. He finished with nine points and two rebounds. Will he say something to get fined this time? Hey, it was pretty funny when he found out he was fined after the Orlando game. 
• Jermaine O'Neal's presence was not felt for the second straight game (0 points, 2 rebounds, and three fouls in 12 minutes), but fortunately Davis is playing at a high level and is picking up most of the slack for the bigs off the bench. O'Neal's still working himself back into shape, and at least his presence on the court allows Semih Erden to heal his pulled groin muscle.