On Super Bowl Sunday, it was Kevin Garnett who decided to play, well, super. Garnett looked like the KG of old and not the old KG, which was more than enough for the Celtics to overcome a scrappy Grizzlies team and keep their winning momentum. Kudos to Garnett, who was 9-12 from the field and finished with 24 points and and 9 rebounds. Kudos to Paul Pierce, who finished with 21 points and continues to close in on Larry Bird for 2nd on the Celtics all-time scoring list. (I’m not really sure how I feel about someone knocking Bird off his perch, because Bird is still a larger than life figure for me and one of the greatest legends in the history of the NBA. But good for Pierce, because in the end it doesn’t diminish the greatness that is Larry Bird.) And kudos to Rajon Rondo, who is starting to round back into form in time to keep the Celtics rolling.
Oh, and how about JaJuan Johnson, taking advantange of a Brandon Bass DP to log 10 points and 4 boards in 22 minutes? Opportunity knocks, rook, and you made the most of it. Chris Wilcox benefitted as well, scoring 10 quick points in the first half before finishing with 12. Wilcox, if he stays healthy, can play himself into the tightened playoff rotation, but he needs to be healthy enough to earn Doc’s trust. We’ll see what happens.
Bummer not seeing Tony Allen on the court, although I’m still not happy with him bolting for greener pastures.
And in the end, this was KG Day on Super Bowl Sunday. It was good to see him bounding around out there like a teenager again, and I certainly hope the fans soaked it in. We haven’t seen that version of KG this season, and it was a nice and welcomed surprise.
Now, if he can funnel some of that energy to Tom Brady and the Patriots!