NBA Playoffs: Would-Be Contenders Spurs, Celtics Won't Overcome Injuries

The Celtics' and Spurs' managements can put a big, fat asterisk next to their respective team's evaluations this summer. 

That's assuming, of course, neither of those teams truly "shocks the sports world" and makes the finals without Kevin Garnett or Manu Ginobili.

I feel pretty good making that assumption.

Without the southpaw from the southern hemisphere, the Spurs are done.

Yes, they're better equipped to deal with his loss than most teams—see Michael Finley and Roger Mason Jr., but they'll lack the firepower necessary to accomplish the basic goal of playoff basketball, score more points than the other team four out of the seven times.

None of Ginobili's would-be replacements have his ability to score at will or drastically swing the momentum in the Spurs' favor.

You know what you'll get with Parker and Duncan, but Ginobili is the ultimate X-Factor. Other teams fear him because they don't know how badly he'll burn them on any given night.

Sure, it was unlikely that the Spurs would beat the Lakers in the conference finals, assuming they got that far at full strength. Now, it's not a stretch to think their interstate rival Dallas could knock them off in the first round.

Who is the only team, other than San Antonio, that's sick with Manu being out—the Phoenix Suns.

Steve Nash probably sat at home and made himself sick after hearing about it, thinking, "The one year we don't make the playoffs, the Spurs are finally vulnerable."

In retrospect, Spurs fans probably appreciate the way they found out Manu was out more than Bostonians, after they were tortured about Kevin Garnett's status until the 11th hour.

For the San Antonio faithful, it was "Ok. Ginobili's out. Goodbye relevancy."

For C's fans, it was a slow suffocation of hope. Every game, without number five in the lineup or without a direct assessment from Doc Rivers on KG's health, was another horror-filled step towards the worst-case scenario.

It was like the period your significant other needs to "step back and think about things" before he or she actually dumps you.

Even as I type this, I have a sneaking feeling that unless Garnett's management brass, medical staff, teammates, and Bill Russell hold him down, he will, at one point or another, play in at least one playoff game.

That's the kind of player Garnett is. I could absolutely and totally see Garnett pulling a 1970 Willis Reed or a 1997 Michael Jordan.

When I sat down to write this, I got a call from my cousin Steve, and when I mentioned how Garnett probably won't be available, he simply said, "I just can't see Kevin Garnett not playing in the playoffs."

So in my mind, the question isn't whether or not he'll play, but whether or not his less-than-100 percent-presence will be enough for the Celtics to potentially overcome Dwight Howard's Magic, Lebron James' Cavs, and Kobe's Lakers in three consecutive series.

Again, I'm making an assumption, but all of the above is dependant upon the KG-less Celtics beating a ridiculously hot and confident Bulls squad in the first round. Again, I'll assume they will, but Bulls fans will want that disclaimer, and they deserve it.

Seeing those likely foes in rounds two, three, and four, the one thing I can predict and feel good about is that unless Garnett is 100 percent healthy, this year's champion won't be wearing the Boston green.