Since the moment the Celtics began practice last week, speculation has run rampant about the health of Kevin Garnett's surgically repaired right knee. But you're hearing it right from the horse's mouth: There's nothing to worry about.
The fiery forward told Boston.com that he is pain free and his knee feels the most flexible it has since he underwent surgery to remove bone spurs last spring.
"I don't have any knee problems," Garnett told the Web site. "I feel really good. I wouldn't [mess with] you guys; if I was hurting, I would tell you. I'm pretty straight up with everything that's going on with me. I feel good. I'm excited about how we are and I'm just trying to get my part together to make sure I'm ready for when we need to be like we need to be."
Still, whether he's healthy or not, his road toward Boston's season-opener on Oct. 27 will still feature its share of hurdles. No matter how much time Garnett has spent working out and rehabbing, nothing can compare to actually getting on the court and reacquiring a feel for the game.
"You have to remember, I've been out since what, March?" Garnett said. "I haven't done anything since then. I have just been rehabbing, strengthening. Nothing simulates basketball play — the pounding, the churning, the reactions, the stuff you have to react to in games. You can't get that with the rehab and the trainers and all that other stuff."
Garnett also said he's excited to see what this team — featuring newly-acquired talent like Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels and Shelden Williams — will be capable of this season.
"We don't have to stop with our second team and teach, and [head coach] Doc [Rivers] doesn't have to make a lot of adjustments and points of emphasis," he said. "Last year, I thought we had a younger team, so we had to teach a lot more. But as you can see, we're so advanced when it comes to basketball IQ … It just makes it more easy."
