I hate to make assumptions after the first preseason game, but Kevin Garnett appears to be healthy and well, he looks like the old KG. The intensity and energy only KG can bring to a game was back. He finished with 6 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals in 13 minutes. And most importantly, I didn't see him limp or favor the leg in any way.
Rasheed Wallace (6 points, 3 blocks and 1 technical foul) performed exactly how I expected. He hit a three pointer, blocked some shots, talked a lot of smack and collected his first technical foul in a Celtics uniform.
Marquis Daniels (7 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds) looked comfortable with the ball in his hands. He didn't have the outside shot tonight (his only 3-point attempt was an airball), but he was effective going to the hoop.
Perk looks noticeably thinner. He finished with 3 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 5 fouls in 14 minutes. I was initially skeptical about the weight loss, but the added quickness could prove beneficial. I am concerned about his ability to bang with the likes of Shaq and Dwight Howard.
Paul Pierce and Ray Allen didn't make much of an impact. Rajon Rondo looked out of sync. He had more turnovers than assists (4-to-3) and finished 1-4 from the floor.
Oh yeah, the Celtics lost 96-90. They missed 20 free throws (35-55). Mike Sweetney lead the team in scoring with 10 points. He was the only Celtic in double figures.
Box Score | Recap
"This is like the Texiera pickup for the Yankees. Marquis Daniels is
that guy… he's just one of those guys you don't know enough about.
People in the basketball world know him, they know this is a huge
pickup for the Celtics." – Donny Marshall
Thank you Donny for saying what I've been saying all off-season. The Daniels signing was huge. I expect the national media to catch on, about midway through the season.
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