How Worried Should We Be About KG?
by Jeff Clark on Mar 31, 2009 9:36 AM EDT
in News/Links
27 comments
You knew this was coming. This is Boston after all. Worrying kind of goes with the territory. So it is no surprise to see this "sky is falling" article from Gerry Callahan in the Herald today.
Gerry pulls the covers up to his nose, teeth chattering, and peers wide eyed and worried at the current state of this team, seemingly held up only by KG's shaky knee.
Well, the defending champs don’t look so blessed right now. Garnett missed 13 games before returning to limited duty, and now he’s gone again, out at least until Friday against Atlanta. While the Celtics have performed admirably since the injury - winning 12-of-19 - their hopes of repeating took a serious hit while the big guy was gone.
Really? The title chances took a "serious hit?" I understand the importance of home court advantage, but I don't really consider that a "serious hit."
I understand how big it would be if KG was lost for any portion of the playoffs, but before we go all Chicken Little on this season, lets at least wait to see how KG looks when he's back in the lineup.
So far (despite WEEI's dire speculation) we've gotten no indication from the Celtics or Kevin that this is something that might linger into the playoffs. In fact, Danny Ainge went to great lengths to assure us that everything's going to be alright.
“Nothing has changed from our initial diagnosis to where we are now,” said the Celtics president of basketball operations. “We’re just being cautious.”
Though Garnett was forced to miss the past two days after playing limited time in four straight games, Ainge also disputed the notion that Garnett’s condition has worsened.
“This isn’t a setback,” Ainge said. “Not at all.”
Personally, until I hear word that his status has changed for the worse, I'm not going to spend too much time cowering in a corner and going over worst-case what-if's in my head. It just isn't worth the energy. Besides, there will always be someone else out there to do the worrying for me.
0 recs |
27 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
It may be semantics...
But if the team thought KG was healthy enough to contribute last week, and now he’s back to sitting out games, isn’t that a “setback”?
All the negativity in this town sucks. It sucks, and it stinks, and it sucks. - Rick Pitino
by Roy_Hobbs on Mar 31, 2009 8:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
well
if the team thought he was “ready” a week ago, then yes
but it seems like they were in a mode of “lets take it easy and see how he feels” – if he felt sore, they had the option of pulling him back
but yeah, it is semantics at some point, and not really worth too much time
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V
by Jeff Clark on Mar 31, 2009 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think they are just reasssesing how best to use his minutes
I guess you could call it a setback, but you are missing that they got to evaluate KG’s effectiveness in those stints vs. pure speculation before that. His timing and shot were alot better than what anyone expected, so I think that with any question of lingering soreness, they feel that even if he doesn’t play a single regular season game again, he won’t be that rusty come the playoffs. Why waste the bullets? Prior to his limited minutes stints, there was uncertainty about how much rust had set in during a month off, and the thinking was that he needed minutes to get his game back. After seeing that he was pretty effective, in terms of timing anyway, they feel better about maximum rest rather than him needing minutes to get his legs back.
by KJ33 on Mar 31, 2009 10:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
by the way
check out the new photo options by clicking on the picture
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V
by Jeff Clark on Mar 31, 2009 8:47 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
another new feature
look at Kevin Garnett’s new player page
yes, there’s one of these for all the players, and a lot more of that kind of stuff – just click around
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V
by Jeff Clark on Mar 31, 2009 8:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This is not the first doom and gloom article callahan guy I believe. He has little faith in the Celtics it seems.
by NoraG1 on Mar 31, 2009 9:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
callahan is a realist
he just made it to the doom and gloom before the rest of us.
by csung on Mar 31, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
by jurrasicearl on Mar 31, 2009 9:30 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
He seems hurt to me. He did not seem to be moving around all that well in the limited minutes that he played. I sincerely hope I am wrong about this.
by jurrasicearl on Mar 31, 2009 10:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Let's face facts:
KG is still hurting, and there is no longer enough time for him to fully recover before the playoffs. Chances are bettter than 50/50 he will eventually require surgery for this in the off season. He will not be 100% for the play-offs. We cannot repeat unless he is 100%. Yes, I am increasingly pessimistic. I felt that they way he hobbled off that night in Utah looked troublesome.
by footey on Mar 31, 2009 10:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Good to base surgical decisions on feelings
by KJ33 on Mar 31, 2009 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It also looked troublesome
And still does… I examined it this morning.
by chunnamark on Mar 31, 2009 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
it’s hard to know what the truth is. Danny is pretty honest but he’s been knowing to send out a misdirection play or two in the past. I don’t see where lying about the extent of KG’s injury gets him so I tend to believe him and DOc when they say they’re being cautious. My worries re KG are" 1) that he now had a chronic condition a la Bird’s back, McHales’s feet etc and 2) that there aren’t enough games left to get him into shape. Also, what happens if he comes back on Friday and feels badf again on Saturday? At some point he’s probably just going to have to lace them up and play. We’re an ok team without him but we’re a great team with him. I worry a little bit about reincorporating him into the lineup but there’s not much you can do about that
by Red2 on Mar 31, 2009 10:12 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
One question
Did any of the 4 years Larry played in college do nothing to contribute to the wear and tear on his legs? I am sick and tired of every article about how many minutes KG has logged in his career conveniently leaving out that he did not play 1 minute of college ball, so to compare his pro minutes to a guy who played 4 years in college is absurd. Granted, there are more minutes played in the NBA than in a college season, so it is not a 1-1 comparison, but clearly the fact KG did not play 1 minute of college ball, but rather accumulated 4 more NBA seasons of minutes, obviously will give him more pro minutes than a guy who played 4 years in college.
by KJ33 on Mar 31, 2009 10:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
we have an uphill battle
The Cavs are looking like the team to bit … orlando is not as dangerous.
We need to be clicking on all cylinders to make it back to the finals.
If i where the celtics brass i would want not state how bad KG is hurting (Mchale’s broken foot comes to mind which was not stated clearly during the time)
Time will tell but all injuries aside this year will be tougher to get out of the east….no doubt.
But hey that’s why repeating is so hard to do.
by tommyfan on Mar 31, 2009 10:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Callahan
is the same guy that quoted me (without credit) and ripped my headline
http://www.celticsblog.com/2009/3/10/788039/gerry-callahan-reads-celti
stay classy Gerry
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V
by Jeff Clark on Mar 31, 2009 10:34 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
this is why I love polls
sometimes if you just read the comments, you get the impression that a fan base is thinking one way, but when you see the poll results you get a bigger picture
"We few, we happy few, we band of brothers" Henry V
by Jeff Clark on Mar 31, 2009 10:45 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
All I am saying is – with a month off – a healthy KG should be jumping though the roof.
by jurrasicearl on Mar 31, 2009 10:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
we all should worry about kg. without him, we are toast. injuries are part of the game.powe worries me too. as a fan, you always worry about the team, however, they play hard and prevail and we also hope for the good. i am cautiously optimistic. about dennis, i can’t stand his politics on the radio show. too much air time acting like rush limbaugh.
by nazzbo on Mar 31, 2009 11:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Catch 22
If we go deep into the playoffs that knee may not hold up……. and we only go deep in the playoffs if that knee holds up …so Yes I am worried.
Is it Soup Yet?
by Master Po on Mar 31, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Nailed it, Jeff
-sw
Manuel Aristides Ramirez is the greatest hitter I've ever seen.
by Steve Weinman on Mar 31, 2009 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Not worried at all — several things need to happen before I get to the worried stage.
All indications right now are that KG will return and be fine for the playoffs. Until that changes … everything is good.
by Who on Mar 31, 2009 12:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Dickerson says KG shutdown for foreseeable future
Over there on the CSN blog…this sounds bad. But I’m sure we’ll hear this isn’t a setback…
http://newengland.comcastsportsnet.com/wickedgoodsports/celtics/kg-shutdown/
by Berkcelt on Mar 31, 2009 12:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Would you believe, stephon marbury as finals mvp??
Since there’s so much "projection’ type opinion on this thread, thought I’d throw out an affirmative scenario…
KG just can’t go, and we all have to deal with it.
1st round:The vets are solid and the bench plays well enough to win in less than seven
2nd round: The vets are still solid and the bench is surprisingly effective, we win a crucial road game, and the Celts are on to Cleveland
3rd round: During the Cleveland series, stephon marbury reaches his comfort level on the court and is a key reason we get to the finals, Cleveland has no answer for his drive and dish when his shots are falling.
FINALS: We win because Stephon Marbury plays solid extended minutes, complimenting Rondo’s court game, setting up house for daggers, making his shots, playing inspired Defense. He is awarded the MVP, over pierce and allen, because nobody expected his play to rise to the level it does. They’re great, he’s a miracle, and brother, to win this year we need a miracle…
by jyrecelts on Mar 31, 2009 7:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
