The Celts will continue to try to manage Garnett through his comeback from right knee surgery, though both the club and player reiterated there is no trouble with the repaired area. But Rivers noted he'll keep KG out if the shin splints and calf problems persist.

``It probably comes from me more than him,'' the coach said. ``I mean, if it was left up to Kevin he'd never come out of the practice.''

Garnett put in a regular session yesterday, though he'd been subbed out of the part of the scrimmage open to the media. It wasn't his best day.

``He's been good, (but yesterday) I thought they bothered him more than the other days,'' Rivers said. ``So he went through the practice, but I don't think he moved great.

``I just think it's from not playing. You take the time off that he took off and then you get on the floor and then you go through a camp that's live and hard, I think your injury is OK, but the stuff around the injury probably starts to affect you. And that's what's happened.''

As a result, the staff will monitor Garnett closely tonight.

``No doubt,'' said Rivers. ``It'd be great for him to play though - play in a real game atmosphere. I think it'd be great for him, really for all of our guys to get back out on the floor.''

The Celtics aren't looking for a lot from this first exercise against another club.

``Really just some of the stuff that we've worked on, execution,'' Rivers said. ``I want to see our offense run as well as it could be run. We haven't put in a lot of stuff.

``And then I just want to see defensively us staying with our rules. And the last part offensively just making the next pass and playing together. I think that's more important than anything.

``Everybody will play. We don't know how many minutes yet. We haven't even gotten into that as a staff. The first quarter we'll play almost traditional minutes. The tough thing about preseason games is you don't know who the other team is going to play, so you have to be careful with who they have on the floor, as well.''

Rivers has tried speaking with the opposing coach to coordinate the regulars' minutes.

``Yeah, you do, and then the game starts and all those plans go to pot,'' he said with a laugh. ``I mean, I've done it before. Sometimes you do that. The first couple of games you really don't have to. I tell you the games you really have to do it is that sixth, seventh and eighth game where you try to make a deal: `Hey, I'll play my starters to this point and you play yours.' But sometimes it just doesn't work out. Foul trouble and things like that happen in the game.''

Celtics notes

In terms of specific players, newly acquired Marquis Daniels will be getting a close look.

``I'm interested to see how Marquis handles the point with the second unit and what other teams do,'' Rivers said. ``If they keep the 3 (small forward) on him then there's no cause to worry.

``I wouldn't be shocked to see some teams actually put their point on Marquis and try to pressure him up the floor. If they do that, we're going to post Marquis. That would put the ball back in Eddie (House's) hands, but then Eddie has the 3 on him and he won't have any pressure. So that's what will be interesting, to see how teams play that lineup.'' . . .

Tony Allen (rehab from right ankle surgery) practiced, but he's uncertain for tonight.

``I don't think we know with Tony day-to-day,'' Rivers said. ``He practiced two days ago and he went through (Tuesday). He may not go (tonight). We just don't know until we get there.'' . . .

The coach is not a fan of going all the way to Texas for one game.

``No I didn't plan that trip at all,'' he said. ``A one-game trip to Texas and a one-game trip to Columbus, Ohio, neither one of those were planned (by the coach). But that's OK. Sometimes you have no choice because if they play you, you have to go and play them. . . . I think, hell, when you live in Boston you should play (New) Jersey, New York, Philly and go nowhere.''

- sbulpett@bostonherald.com