The Wolves site posted audio of Garnett’s media address from Thursday. The Pioneer Press has a few quotes from the news conference.
“My attitude about playing (tonight’s) game is to get back on track
winning,” he said. “Obviously, we had a slippage here (in Wednesday’s
loss to Toronto). It’s just to get back on track — nothing more,
nothing less than that.
winning,” he said. “Obviously, we had a slippage here (in Wednesday’s
loss to Toronto). It’s just to get back on track — nothing more,
nothing less than that.
“I want you all to understand something. A lot of the guys I played
with in Minnesota are not even on this team. It’s like a brand new
team. The personnel — the trainers and the people behind the scenes
are probably a little more important than some of the people that are
on the court.”
with in Minnesota are not even on this team. It’s like a brand new
team. The personnel — the trainers and the people behind the scenes
are probably a little more important than some of the people that are
on the court.”
Somebody asked if he had any regrets about his loyalty to the Timberwolves and his 12 years in Minnesota.
"I have no regrets for loyalty at all," he said. "I thank the fans for
being behind me. Minnesota knows they have a special place in my heart
when it comes to the people there. That’s my connection there. There
always will be a connection there. Right now, I’m in Boston and I’m
enjoying it."
When the Celtics played at Seattle last month, the Sonics gave Allen a
check for his charitable foundation in a brief ceremony. Allen played 4
1/2 seasons there.
"Absolutely nothing," Garnett said when asked what he thinks the Wolves
organization will do when he returns to Target Center for the first
time two weeks from today. "And that’s cool with me."
Celtics blogs take on tonight’s matchup:
Jeff Clark/Celtics Blog: They Are Who We Thought They Were
FLCeltsFan/Loy’s Place: Catching Up with the TimberCelts
Jim/Green Bandwagon : Big Al Returns
While Garnett downplayed the significance of meeting his old team
yesterday, you can bet it will be significant to the former Celtics (at
least the four younger ones) and the fans who made this a premium
ticket as soon as they went on sale.
And they will have at least some company inside the Celtic locker room.
"We get worked up about it too," admitted Kendrick Perkins, a former
locker neighbor of Jefferson’s and one of his best friends. "Guys want
to come in from Minnesota and prove a point why they shouldn’t have
gotten traded. We want to prove a point that we’ve got a good team
(without them)."
Celtics coach Doc
Rivers, on the other hand, needed little prompting to talk about
Garnett with the Timberwolves and the Celtics and to reminisce about
the young players he coached and Ainge traded.
Rivers, on the other hand, needed little prompting to talk about
Garnett with the Timberwolves and the Celtics and to reminisce about
the young players he coached and Ainge traded.
“Kevin had great
years there, and part of the hang up with Kevin coming here to begin
with is because he loved Minnesota. It wasn’t that he didn’t like
Minnesota, and it was very difficult for him to give the perception
that he was bailing. To me, that was the main reason he wanted to stay.
Fortunately, he changed his mind, with a lot of calls and begging, and
he’s here. But his heart will be there. He gave most of his main career
there, so that will be different for him to come out and play against
that jersey.”
years there, and part of the hang up with Kevin coming here to begin
with is because he loved Minnesota. It wasn’t that he didn’t like
Minnesota, and it was very difficult for him to give the perception
that he was bailing. To me, that was the main reason he wanted to stay.
Fortunately, he changed his mind, with a lot of calls and begging, and
he’s here. But his heart will be there. He gave most of his main career
there, so that will be different for him to come out and play against
that jersey.”