Harsh Truths

Posted by Zach Lowe on Nov 20, 2009 43351 commenthttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fharsh-truths%2FHarsh+Truths2009-11-20+13%3A03%3A54Zach+Lowehttp%3A%2F%2Fcelticshub.com%2F%3Fp%3D4335

From the various previews of tonight’s game against Orlando. First, here’s the Captain talking in the Globe about the fact that, without Garnett last season, the C’s lacked anyone who could guard Rashard Lewis and had only one guy (Perk) capable of checking D12:

“We have more guys, three guys we can put on Dwight Howard, three guys we can put on Rashard Lewis,’’ Pierce said. “Dwight Howard demands so much attention, and when you’ve got guys like Perk [Kendrick Perkins] and Rasheed and Kevin [Garnett] that can play him pretty much straight up – when you put [Brian] Scalabrine on him, it’s tough. We’re in a better position with the team we have and hopefully nobody will get hurt.’’

Poor Scal. Lewis was by far the more troubling match-up for Boston in that series. Tonight will be different. KG has the quickness and length to chase Shard on the perimeter and the size to deal with him on the block. Right? 

Check out the last line of this excerpt from the Herald:

“It’s a big difference because Kevin could go out and guard Rashard Lewis, who plays on the perimeter a lot,” Kendrick Perkins [stats] said. “Ticket could show on the pick-and-roll and get back to him. When they were iso-ing Baby (Glen Davis) last year and sometimes myself with Rashard Lewis at the top, it kind of was a tough matchup for both of us. But Kevin is quicker. He’s longer.”

But he’s still not quite Kevin Garnett.

“I’m not where I want to be at this point,” he said, “but it’s about the team, not me.”

This isn’t news to those of us who have watched the games this season, but it’s still (slightly) unsettling to hear KG say it.