Doc Rivers reported on WEEI that "there is a strong possibility Garnett will miss the entire playoffs."
"I just finished watching him run and he's not gonna be ready."
Horrible, horrible news. I don' t even know what to say.
Update: Here's a link to Marc Spears
In an interview this morning on Boston sports radio station WEEI, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said it was likely that Kevin Garnett would not be ready to play at all in the playoffs. "After today there's no way he can play," said Rivers, who left open the possibility his star could return at some point in the postseason but was not optimistic.
As painful as this information is, we can't be all that surprised. I believe the team did its best to get him ready. As early as yesterday they were optimistic that he would be able to at least play. However, the constant setbacks hinted at a more ominous result. They took the wait and see approach but this morning they must have seen something bad enough to shut it down again.
Stating the obvious: The Celtics are still a very good team without Garnett, but I'm not sure how far they'll get in the playoffs without him.
Update 2 - from the Globe:
An NBA source confirmed to the Globe this morning that Garnett was only about 70 percent healed from the knee injury, which occured during a Feb. 19 game in Utah, and that the Celtics All-Star would likely miss the entire postseason.
Garnett worked out his injured right knee this morning, Rivers said, after which the coach made the radio proclamation: "After watching him run, there's no way. So, we're going to move without him. And the way I saw him move today guys, I don't know if he'll be ready."
Rivers added that Garnett would continue to get treatment in the hopes that he would be able to return at some point.
"At this point after going through all the rehab and looking so good last week ... to where he's at today if he can't get through biking and working out without swelling and stiffness ... I just don't know how he can play in the playoffs," Rivers said.
Garnett's reaction?
"He was frustrated. He was mad at me, mad at everybody. Then he understood," Rivers said. "He put up a fight. He's really frustrated, but that's Kevin. That's why we got him, because he cares so much."
More updates as they become available.