Garnett Proves Once Again That He Is Heart and Soul Of The Celtics

When Kevin Garnett was traded from Minnesota to Boston in the summer of 2007, nobody could have predicted what would unfold. Garnett helped to lead Boston to their first NBA championship since 1986. The fans were in love with him for his statistical accomplishments on the court, before he even played a game. Once the fans saw the type of animal that Garnett becomes night in and night out though, this was an attachment that could last a lifetime.

In his first game in the TD Garden, Garnett represented the green proudly. He notched a double double in a 103-83 win over the Washington Wizards. His impact in the game would go far beyond the stat book however. Garnett was the most talkative player on defense, he was vocal during timeouts and his energy on the court fed the crowd as well as his teammates.

This would not just be a one game show for the fans though. Garnett carried this energy all the way to the 2008 NBA Finals, where he raised his energy up  to another level. The Boston Celtics would go on to win the NBA championship and after Garnett yelled "Anything's possible" from the back of his throat until he couldn't yell any longer.

After the championship, the Celtics were heavily favored to repeat during the 2008/2009 season after they started 44-13. They would fall short though, as the heart of their team Kevin Garnett would miss 39 games including the playoffs due to a knee injury. When KG was in the lineup, the Celtics outscored their opponents by 12.8 points per 48 minutes. When he was out of the lineup, they only outscored their opponents by 2.2 points per 48 minutes.

In 2009/2010, Garnett came back with vengeance on his mind. He worked very hard in the off-season to get his conditioning up and to rehab his knee. He would play 29 games but once again suffer an injury (unrelated to previous injury). The difference could be seen not only in the numbers but in the defense. There is nobody on the team that can replace Garnett as a defensive leader. When KG is on the floor, the Celtics are scoring 10.7 points more than their opponents per 48 minutes. With KG out of the lineup, the Celtics are only scoring 2.1 more points than their opponents, all numbers courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau.

What do these statistics point to? They point to a lack of defensive efficiency all around when Garnett is in street clothes. If the Celtics are beating opponents up when Garnett is on the floor, not only does it provide them with more quality, decisive wins but it provides them with the opportunity to rest the starters more as well. When Garnett is out, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen's minutes have to go up and at their age that is never good.

After KG returned against the Trailblazers on Friday night, you could see a significant change in the way the team played. There was more energy, more defensive activity, more excitement and better overall play then in the games where he was absent. Garnett gave the team 30 minutes of all he had that night. He only scored 13 points, but his impact meant so much more then that. It's all about the defense. The defense.