Projo Sports Blog

By Frank Dell'Apa
The Boston Globe

The Celtics' Kevin Garnett will have surgery to remove bone spurs in his right knee next week. The operation will be performed by team physician Brian McKeown.

"They seem to think it is a straightforward surgery and Kevin will be recovered 100 percent by training camp," said Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. "Having Kevin back on the court with the team is a priority for us."

Garnett is expected to return in 6-8 weeks, according to an NBA source.

Ainge said no other Celtic is likely to be subjected to a medical procedure in the offseason, though coach Doc Rivers indicated that surgery was being considered for Kendrick Perkins (left shoulder) and Paul Pierce (ankle bone spurs).

"I don't think anyone will be needing surgery," Ainge said. "Right now, Perk is going to be checked out early next week. He'll have an MRI, but right now we're not thinking he needs surgery."

Pierce was the only Celtic who didn't miss a game because of injury this season. Ray Allen missed one game with a hyperextended elbow and played with a hamstring strain in the playoffs.

"With Paul and Ray, it's the wear and tear of the season," Ainge said. "It's very unlikely anyone will have surgery this year. Perk, we don't know enough yet, and he's the only one who is a possibility. I don't think Paul's is a problem. Ray strained his hamstring, he didn't pull it.

"I don't think that had a bearing on what happened during the year. Every team has those bothersome aches and pains. We had some little tweaks.

"I said I thought we were leaking oil a little bit as the playoffs went along, and those guys logged big minutes. Those guys played pretty well, they were moving pretty good. But they were double- and triple-teamed so much by Orlando in the playoffs."

The spurs in Garnett's knee were detected before the season, but were not considered serious enough to warrant surgery. He went down late in the first half of a Feb. 19 game against Utah in Salt Lake City. He was convinced to rest, though an MRI revealed no damage.

Garnett returned to action March 15, performing briefly in four games, then was shut down by the Celtics, who were hoping to have him available for the playoffs.

The Celtics scrapped a plan for Garnett to ease back into action in the final three games of the regular season, and on April 16, following a workout in Waltham, they declared him out indefinitely.

This will be the first surgery Garnett has had in his 14-year career.

 Tags  Boston Celtics injuries Kevin Garnett

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