Kevin Garnett sits another one out - Hip flexor continues to bother center

BOSTON HERALD
By Mark Murphy / celtics Notebook

And then there was at least one.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers, when asked who wasn’t going to play last night at the Garden against a Miami Heat team lacking LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, said, “It’s easier to say who is — Paul (Pierce).”


On a night when every playoff team already secure in its seeding handed out passes like candy, the big omission for the Celtics [team stats] was Kevin Garnett.

The center, who has struggled but generally played through the pain of a sore hip flexor this season, actually requested to miss his second straight game, which the C’s won, 78-66. Garnett and Pierce missed Friday night’s loss to the Hawks, the Eastern Conference first-round playoff opponent, in Atlanta.

“No KG,” Rivers said. “He was going to play, but he had to be honest with me for a change, and he said the hip flexor thing is still bothering him. I wanted to play him tonight. My choice was more tonight, and then give him the day off Thursday (when the Milwaukee Bucks will be at the Garden for the regular-season finale). But Kevin never comes in to say, I need two more days. That speaks volumes.”

Rivers’ original plan for last night was scuttled with Garnett unavailable. In terms of giving his team a rhythm game, with the first round set to start this weekend, last night’s game was Rivers’ original target.

“Paul is playing as of right now, Maybe when he finds out who isn’t playing . . .,” Rivers said jokingly. “I don’t know. Kevin was the guy before shootaround I thought (would play). So I said, Kevin, you’re playing, and Paul, you’re not playing. But Paul said, I need both games for my rhythm, I want to play. And that’s who Paul is. That’s who Kevin is too, really, and that’s why I wanted to play him in both.”

Instead, Garnett can be expected to play in the finale.

Injury updates

Rajon Rondo [stats] (back), Ray Allen (ankle), Mickael Pietrus (knee) and Greg Stiemsma (feet) were all out of the C’s lineup. Allen, who said Monday that he is suffering from bone spurs in his right ankle, is also doubtful for tomorrow night.

Rivers provided an injury rundown.

On Rondo: “He’s just not ready yet. He’s still very stiff. Didn’t do much at shootaround, but he is feeling a lot better. It was the first day he was out on the floor shooting, so he’ll probably play Thursday.”

On Allen: “We don’t know anything. It’s a concern, but other than that, we just have to wait and see.”

On Pietrus: “He did shoot (yesterday). The swelling is all gone, which is huge. He will play Thursday.”

On Stiemsma: “The only guy we’re sitting out who needs to sit out is Stiemsma. . . . He says it’s as good as it’s been all year, so we need to take advantage of that.”

Rivers is planning on the playoffs starting on Saturday, be it at home or in Atlanta.

“Saturday or Sunday, but I always anticipate the worst, so Saturday is what I’m looking at,” he said. “But I have no knowledge of that.”

Fisher cut bait

Celtics guard Keyon Dooling, a member of the NBA Players Association’s executive committee, was part of the unanimous vote demanding president and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Derek Fisher’s resignation last week. Fisher had demanded an audit of the association’s books — rampant nepotism by executive director Billy Hunter has been alleged — and now refuses to step down.

Dooling declined to discuss the reason behind his vote, though he is clearly upset that news of the polling leaked out.

“I would rather not comment about that because it looks like players vs. players,” Dooling said. “I’m not going to perpetuate that because it’s deeper and more political than that. You’ll hear our rationale from other guys, but you won’t hear it from me. I’m old-fashioned. . . . I believe in-house business is in-house business. I’m disappointed that it came out the way it came out.”

Rondo steps up

Nine-year-old Preston Jackson recently endured a harrowing experience when a bullet flew through his bedroom window in Dorchester.

Thankfully, Jackson was unharmed, but the bullet ripped through his Rondo jersey. Last night, Rondo presented Jackson with a new signed jersey, and also passed along a pair of sneakers.