Kevin Garnett got a lot of the credit for turning the Boston Celtics from a last-place team to the NBA champions last season. As important as Garnett has been to their success, however, the Celtics have managed to find ways to win without him.
The Celtics look to remain undefeated without their injured All-Star power forward Monday night when they visit the Denver Nuggets, playing at home for the first time in nearly three weeks.Boston acquired Garnett from Minnesota before last season, then won 66 games - 42 more than in 2006-07 - en route to the franchise's 17th title.
Though Garnett's role in transforming the Celtics has been well-documented, it seems the team doesn't need the 12-time All-Star to win games.
Boston (45-12) is 13-2 without Garnett since he joined the team, including 4-0 this season. That could help ease the Celtics' concerns after losing the reigning defensive player of the year for at least two weeks with a strained muscle in his right knee.
In Garnett's first game sidelined by that injury, Rajon Rondo scored a career-high 32 points to go with 10 assists in a 128-108 victory at Phoenix on Sunday.
After the game, Celtics All-Star Paul Pierce had high praise for Rondo, averaging 22.0 points, 10.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 69.2 percent (27-for-39) over his last three games.
"As Rondo goes, this team goes," Pierce said. "If he plays as well as he's playing, then there's no way we can lose."
The Celtics are 10-0 when Rondo scores at least 18 points, and he had that before halftime Sunday.
"Just lately he's really stepped up to the challenge," Pierce said. "He's playing against elite point guards over the past couple of weeks - Chris Paul, Deron Williams and tonight (Steve Nash)."
Rondo had plenty of help Sunday. Ray Allen scored 31 and Pierce added 26, and the Celtics shot 63.0 percent as a team.
"Guys step up and play their roles even better when Kevin is out," Rondo said.
The Celtics hope that's the case against a Nuggets team that beat them when Garnett was healthy earlier this season. Denver (37-19) dealt Boston its first home loss 94-85 on Nov. 14. Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups led six Nuggets players scoring in double figures with 18 points apiece.
Rondo, meanwhile, was held to two points and 1-for-8 shooting.
Anthony and Billups had 33 and 21 points, respectively, in Denver's last game, but the Nuggets struggled defensively in the 120-117 loss at Milwaukee that capped an eight-game road swing with five victories. The Nuggets lost their previous game 116-99 in Chicago and will likely benefit from a return home.
Including five games before the All-Star break, Denver has not played at the Pepsi Center since Feb. 3. The Nuggets have won 11 of 13 at home to improve to 20-6 there, and they've also won four straight at home against the Celtics.
Like Boston, Denver could be without a starting big man Monday. Nene banged knees with Bucks forward Richard Jefferson in Sunday's game. He left with a right knee contusion and needed crutches to get to the team bus. He'll be evaluated by team doctor Steve Traina in Denver on Monday.
