Through the history of the NBA, there have been many great players - including Hall of Famers – who did not play in the Finals.  F Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics is now off that long list.

Garnett has been in the NBA for 12 years but is an old veteran at the age of 32, just entering into his prime.  This is the first year Garnett is removed from the team that drafted him in 1995, the Minnesota Timberwolves.

             
   Coming into this season, Garnett did not have much success in the post-season.  The best post-season Garnett had was his MVP season (03’-04’) when the led the T-Wolves to the western conference finals.  If the T-Wolves were healthy in that western conference finals, there is no telling what would had happened.  Before the western conference finals, Garnett could not manage to get his team out of the first round of the playoffs in seven tries.

           
      Garnett secretly wanted to be traded, but not to the Celtics.  The Celtics inquired about a trade for Garnett, but he wanted to go to a contender – mainly the Los Angeles Lakers.  The T-Wolves were smart not to improve a western conference foe, so they looked to the eastern conference.  The Miami Heat, the Chicago Bulls and the Orlando Magic were interested, but when the Celtics traded for G Ray Allen, aka Jesus Shuttleworth, but were still persistent in acquiring Garnett.  The dollars were right and going to the Celtics was no longer a bad idea.

            
     Garnett and the Celtics accomplished great things this season.  The Celtics had the greatest turnaround in NBA’s history for a season (42 game differential) and had the best record in the league (66-16) earning home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.  The Celtics had the most representatives in the all-star game (3: F Paul Pierce, Allen and Garnett), Garnett won the defensive player of the year award and made it to the Finals.  In fact, it’s not often that a new set of players make it to the Finals in their first year playing together.

              
    The fact that the Celtics made the Finals is a great achievement, but Garnett is not satisfied.  After the Celtics eliminated the Detroit Pistons in game 6 of the eastern conference finals to advance to the Finals, reporter Michelle Tafoya of ESPN asked Garnett how he felt after the game.  Garnett said,” I feel neutral,” and Tafoya was surprised at his comment.  While the Celtics celebrated on the floor, the conference room and locker room – especially Pierce and rightfully so – Garnett sat quietly.  In the locker room, Garnett was sitting by himself saying,” Four more games, four more games.”  Garnett repeated those words to himself over and over again.

          
        Garnett is focused and is locked in on the Finals.  Garnett wanted to play for a contender, but he went to the Celtics and made them into one.  Garnett can join the long list of great players who won a title.  Will Garnett be satisfied and settled if he and the Celtics win the Finals?   Competitors like Garnett will not settle and if that’s the case, another beast will be created. Watch out.                  

Written By Barry Barnes