The fact that Kevin Garnett will miss the playoffs has been a much-discussed topic. Either that or there wasn't much to discuss with the NBA off until Saturday. The injury clearly hurts the Celtics ability to repeat (assuming, of course, Garnett does not have some kind of out-of-his-wheelchair, miracle, back-in-the-locker-room recovery the way Paul Pierce did last year in the Finals), but let's not forget Doc Rivers guided his team to 62 wins with Garnett out for most of the second half of the seaon.

The Boston Globe's Bob Ryan did not expect the Celtics to win back-to-back anyway. "People have no right to get greedy, especially when two excellent teams such as the 66-16 Cavaliers and the 65-17 Lakers are on the prowl," he wrote. "I'm not saying a healthy Celtics team couldn't have beaten either the Cavs or the Lakers, but I would not have expected them to. Big difference."

And Bill Simmons of ESPN.com took an exhaustive look at the Celtics without KG, his injury and the media coverage of said injury.

"On paper, the Celtics were the only Eastern team that could realistically consider unseating Cleveland in a seven-game series," Simmons wrote. "The odds weren't good for two reasons. First, it's going to be near-impossible to win a Game 7 in Cleveland with the way LeBron James feeds off a frenzied crowd that's in "Maybe if we shower him with love, he won't leave in two years mode" (like a high school junior who starts putting out because her boyfriend is leaving for college in a few months)."

Bottom line: Nothing is guaranteed. But as one reader of this crog pointed out, it was back in 1976 that the Cavs were holding their last practice before facing the Celtics in the playoffs. Jim Chones broke his foot — in the last stinking practice. The Celtics won in six. (And Alan … I think the Cavs had a legitimate chance had Chones not been injured.) I don't think anyone calls that Celtics victory tainted. Injuries happen in sports, and sometimes they happen at the exact wrong time.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said on Boston radio today that Kevin Garnett probably will miss the entire playoffs.

"After watching him run, there's no way," Rivers said on WEEI. "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."

This is obviously bad news for Boston, and a shame for Garnett, a competitor's competitor. Nobody wants to see anyone injured, especially in playoff time. And I think if you asked LeBron James, he'd say he'd much prefer to face a completely healthy Celtics team down the line, rather than one that is hobbled.

That being said, there should be no counting the Celtics out, especially if Paul Pierce can play this playoff year like he did last. Their chances to advance in the second round against Orlando (assuming both win) are not as good — Orlando is very young, and has Dwight Howard — but the Celtics pride and talent will not abandon them.

There should be no celebrating another team's misfortune. The Cavs are one LeBron James sprained ankle from being in the same situation. This also makes it more likely the Cavs face Orlando in the East Finals (should both teams make it that far), and that is a tough matchup for Cleveland.

But this injury also points up another strength of the Cavs, and that's their age. Most of the key players on this team — James, Delonte West, Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao — are young and entering their prime. Most of the older players on the Cavs are complementary players, with the exception of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who is pretty key.

Boston put together the Big Three with three guys in their 30s, then surrounded them with some young guys and some veterans. It paid off handsomely, with a championship. But injury risk increases with age, and the Celtics chances to repeat take a hit without Garnett.

The Celtics keep saying Kevin Garnett will be fine for the playoffs, that he'll play in Game 1 of the first series. No doubt he will. It's tough to keep a competitor like Garnett out of the playoffs. But Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo opines that there's a lot more uncertainty and wonder in Boston about Garnett's long-term health than folks are letting on: "Privately, those surrounding the Boston Celtics take a deep breath, sigh and shrug. Essentially, they're telling you: Who knows? Everyone's uneasy, bordering on fearful. Kevin Garnett's gimpy knee holds hostage the Celtics' chances for a championship defense."

Paul Pierce’s saga continues today. The guy who was so injured he couldn’t walk the other night in Game 1 in Boston might or might not play tonight. Pierce needed to be carried off the court and wheelchaired to the dressing room after he hurt his knee in Game 1. Bill Plaschke, a friend and columnist for the LA Times, said Pierce was weeping on the court at the severity of his knee injury. One minute and 45 seconds later Pierce was back on the court, sinking threes and leading the Celtics to the win.

All this led some to question the authenticity of the injury. Plaschke called it chicanery, which led to Boston fans writing Plaschke and telling they hoped he’d get cancer. Nice. Lakers coach Phil Jackson smirked about Pierce’s miracle comeback, then said this on Saturday: "I don't know if the angels visited him at halftime or in that timeout period he had or not," Jackson said. "But he didn't even limp when he came back out on the floor. I don't know what was going on there. Was Oral Roberts back there in their locker room?"

Call that a direct shot to Pierce, the Celtics and their credibility. And Jackson is the son of a minister.

Now, I’m not going to question Pierce’s injury. When the Finals are said and done, we may learn he played the rest of the series with an MCL tear or something. But the entire drama in Game 1 was a bit much. The guy was crying, he could not stand, could not put weight on his knee, then he trots back on the court? For crying out loud, he was in a wheelchair, and two minutes later he trotte back on the court. Celtics fans went nuts. There are the same fans, of course, who howled every time LeBron James reacted after getting hit in the face in their series. James was a baby, or so I was told. Pierce, because he plays for Boston, is a hero. Please. Even Pierce admitted being carried off was almost embarrassing.

To compare it to Willis Reed’s situation in 1970 is downright insulting to Reed, who played the first four games of the Finals against Wilt Chamberlain and scored 37, 29, 38 and 23 points. And averaged 15 rebounds. He tore a muscle in his hip the next game and missed Game 6. Prior to Game 7, he had to take three shots just to play – Jackson, a teammate, called them “horse shots.” And when he dragged his leg as he ran on the floor, he was coming back from an injury, a torn muscle. He was not trotting back on from something he thought was an injury.

In terms of drama and being dramatic, Reed’s actions were Shakespearean and Pierce’s were High School Musical. I wrote that here as well, and I stand by it.

All this also points out the sense of entitlement that Celtics fans have carried themselves with since the playoffs started. That by virtue of wearing Celtic green their team deserves the championship. They act so entitled they would make the Clintons blush. Let’s be honest, they were so bad last year Pierce thought he’d be traded. Then Danny Ainge made a nice move getting Ray Allen on draft day. Then Kevin McHale helped his old team and old friend out by shipping Kevin Garnett to Boston. The Celtics are good. Very good. They play defense with a vengeance. If they win the title they are deserving. But this team is hardly home-grown.

Come to think of it, getting Garnett is actually comparable to the Lakers getting Pau Gasol for a ballrack and dirty jerseys in midseason. Perhaps these guys deserve each other in these Finals. (Yes, it’s best to go now — before Cleveland sports bitterness totally engulfs this ridiculous blog.)

LeBron James ended his news conference with this statement: “A LeBron James team is never desperate.” It came when someone asked him after the game if the Cavs would be desperate in Game 6 having lost Game 5. It’s one of those silly questions the media asks that a guy can’t win by answering. “Yeah,” he said. “We feel hopeless now. We’ll really be desperate.” Would that work? Don’t think so. So James said a LeBron James team is never desperate. Don’t expect me to argue with him. He’ll tell me to sit my you-know-what down.

Hate to make LeBron angry, but Wally Szczerbiak did say the Cavs are now “desperate.” I’m sure he didn’t mean it.

I thought the Cavs really let the Celtics back in the game late in the first half and in the third quarter, but the more I think about it the more I think the Celtics went and took the game and the Cavs didn’t stand up to them until it was too late. Cleveland led 43-29, then saw Rajon “Bingo Smith” Rondo hit consecutive threes. This is not supposed to happen. Rondo made five threes the entire regular season, so you figure if the Cavs are going to let anyone shoot a three it would be Rondo. He did, and he made them, and that was a problem because it gave the Celtics momentum. Then Paul Pierce took a last-second shot in the first half that bounced up and down on the rim a few times before dropping. Momentum, Boston. Of course the Cavs helped by starting the second half in a daze. And at that point Boston attacked. As James said, “They turned up the pressure.” The Cavs did not answer … and by the time they did it was too late. So this loss was not just a case of the Cavs not doing things well, it was also a case of Boston taking the game.

I think the Celtics had a little discussion at halftime and it went this way: “Man we stunk for a while. … We were losing bad to these guys. … Hey, if we lose we’re down 3-2 … Really? … Yep … Heck with that.” They started the second half like they were storming the Bastille.

Could the Cavs have won? Sure they could have won. But when you’re on the road against the top seed in the East you can’t do silly things like turn the ball over on three consecutive possessions and miss free throws and take a few minutes off. Pretty quick recipe for disaster there, and that’s what happened.

It was kind of amazing how LeBron James got to the rim in the first half. For whatever reason, Boston wasn’t cutting him off like it had in previous games. So he took advantage with some fantastic finishes – and 23 first-half points. The Celtics sure changed that in the second half. Every time James went to the rim he was cut off by a ravaging horde of Mongol warriors … err … Celtics. Evidently, they got their “rotations” correct. Had to be it. “Rotations.” Those things are important in basketball anymore. Rotations. R-o-t-a-t-i-o-n-s. Rotations.

Kevin Garnett had a pretty large game with 26 points and 16 rebounds. As did Rajon Rondo (20 points, 13 assists). A few folks – notably Kenny Smith on TNT – said after Game 4 that the Celtics were frontrunners, that they could win when ahead but did not have the ability or wherewithal to come back when behind. The Celtics did not disprove that statement because they pretty much were ahead in the second half. And in fact, they came kind of close to giving the game away.

Got on the Boston T after the game – that’s the subway system, the same one where fans were singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” after the ALCS in October and I had to listen to that celebration then and it’s still in my mind, or what there is of a mind – and sitting in the same car was former Celtics standout Cedric Maxwell. He’s now the Celtics radio analyst. For some reason it seemed comforting to be on the same subway as Cedric Maxwell after the game. A few kids referred to him as Mr. Maxwell, which would have made Bob Knight proud I’m sure.

Happened to be sitting in the press room when the Celtics cheerleaders walked out of their dressing room down the hall in their short shorts and tiny tops. Some might call this fortuitous, but that’s a topic for another blog. At one point, they all stood in a circle and the cheerleader coach or organizer or den mother or whatever she’s called told them: “Have a good game girls.” They did not put hands together, though, and chant one-two-three-win. Walked by the same coach at halftime doing an interview (interview?) and she was saying how her squad likes to dial it up for the playoffs just like the team. She didn’t use dial it up, but the point was the same. So glad to know the cheerleading squad was prepared.

Delonte West struggled guarding Rajon Rondo, but did have 21 points, four steals and four assists. Daniel Gibson left with a shoulder contusion. Be tough if he’s at all limited in Game 6.

Some postgame quotes:

Z: “I think (they were) more aggressive, forced the turnovers. Really got into our bodies, took us out of our offensive sets. We just couldn’t run anything. A couple times the shot clock went down and we threw up a couple prayers. Really, they were the aggressors.”

Garnett: “The beginning of the third, man, we started with a lot of defensive energy and that’s pretty much it, man. I thought we weren’t as aggressive as we should have been in the fourth, in the late fourth, but for the most part we had high energy to begin the half.”

Ray Allen: “Close out games are always the hardest. The team is going to fight, the building is going to be behind them. You just have to go in there doing the small things and the overall big thing of being aggressive with that defensive energy.”

Doc Rivers: “I just thought we were not playing very well. LeBron was playing great and I knew that at some point we would play well. Like I said, we will need to win a game when LeBron plays great. I don’t think he has been playing poorly to begin with.”

LeBron James: “Can’t get outscored by 12 on the road and turn the ball over like we did in the third quarter. As a team we didn’t turn the ball over a lot, but when we did they made us pay for it.”
Mike Brown: “We didn’t do the things necessary defensively and again we let their aggression bother us.”

Weird opening game. That’s the kind of probing analysis you pay for and expect, eh?

Who knows? Maybe LeBron James was reading the Boston Globe all day and pondering how great he is. Nah. His shots just did not go in. That happens sometimes. It doesn’t happen often like this with LeBron (2-for-18, 10 turnovers), but it happened this Tuesday night in Boston. And it’s the reason the Cavs lost.

Even with that, the Cavs had a chance to win. They just didn’t. In normal circumstances the thinking would be that the Cavs had their chance to steal a game in Boston and missed it. Now they’ll never steal Game 2. Except normal thinking goes out the window with James. He never – well hardly ever – has consecutive bad games. He could drop 40 with 12 assists on the Celtics on Thursday night.

But as bad as James played, he was matched by Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. Those two combined to shoot 2-for-18 with 10 turnovers, just like LeBron. That won’t happen again. Just like it won’t happen again that James will struggle like he did. So who knows how this comes out in the wash (more of that probing analysis, eh?).

Still, even with all the problems, the Cavs had a lead late, had the ball down two late and had James at the rim with a chance to tie. He missed. As he said, it was that kind of night. The reason Boston won and the Cavs lost was that Kevin Garnett made his shot in the final minute, and James missed. Through all the troubles and struggles and ugliness prior – and it was an ugly game — it still came down to those two shots.

Not sure if this was a hard-nosed defensive game, or just an ugly game. Perhaps both. You have to think both teams will play with more skill, and play better, as the series continues. As Boston coach Doc Rivers said, it was like he was back in the old Heat-Knicks playoff series. Said Mike Brown: “The whole series could be filled with us grinding it out.”

There was a knock on Kevin Garnett, that he does not want to take the big shot at crunch time. Well he sure wanted to take it in Game 1. He did and made two. “That is why he is called ‘the big ticket,’” Boston’s Kendrick Perkins said. If this continues, folks will point to this series as the time Garnett took charge. And it would come at the expense of the Cavs.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who played a very good game (again), summed things up well when he said: “We were right there, up two points. That’s where you want to be at on the road with a minute left. They just made a couple more shots than we did at the end. They made their shots and we missed some shots. Sometimes it goes that way. You know, you have to like being up by two with a minute left on the road with a hostile crowd.”

The more I watch Z, the more I wonder why in the world anyone wants to get rid of him, or doesn’t like him. The guy is a very, very, very good player, who does a lot of things to help his team win.

James spoke of his game and Paul Pierce’s: “If you combine our numbers – 4-for-32, between me and Paul Pierce, with 16 turnovers, 0-for-9 from the three point line … I could keep going I guess. Not all-star numbers right there.”

James had a tough night. But I think we can officially state that Pierce is freaked out playing against James. He shot 37.7 percent against Cleveland during the regular season, now drops a 2-for-14 night on the parquet (the word has to appear at least once, right?). Pierce tries too hard against his rival, or at least he has to this point. He could break out of it any point, but to this point the thought of facing James is in his head. Either that or James' defense is too good.

Said Rivers: “If you’re Cleveland you are thinking that they almost won with LeBron playing like that. If you’re us, we’re thinking we won with Paul and Ray not scoring. So it’s probably a wash.”

Two-for-18 was the worst percentage shooting night of James’ career.

Interesting that Sasha Pavlovic replaced Devin Brown in the rotation. And surprising, given the many ways Brown has contributed to the team. Brown did not get a minute after playing in 78 games in the regular season.

Perspective remains amazing. Had James made that last layup and the Cavs won in overtime we’d all be talking about how he overcame the tough night. It wasn’t a bad night, because he wasn’t out of control and launching garbage. He simply didn’t make his shots.

The play goes unnoticed, but late in the game the Celtics missed a shot, then got the ball out of bounds after a scramble. Doc Rivers called timeout to diagram a play, and had the ball thrown in to Garnett 18 feet from the basket. Thing is, the original shot never hit the rim, and there was only one second on the shot clock. When the ref signaled a violation, Rivers put his hands out as if to ask what was going on. Same with Garnett. Clearly, nobody on the Celtics or on the bench was aware of the shot clock – and Boston discussed things during a timeout. Rivers skates because the Celtics won. I can only imagine the outcry if the same thing happened with Mike Brown.