Garnett hurts right leg in 1st quarter vs. Pistons

[December 30, 2010]  AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Kevin Garnett left Boston's game at Detroit on Wednesday night with a right leg injury after hurting himself on a dunk late in the first quarter.

Garnett grimaced as he threw down the dunk, then immediately started limping when he landed, favoring his right leg. He made it back to midcourt before intentionally committing a foul to stop the game.

He went down to the ground momentarily and appeared distraught when he got up, at one point covering his face with his hands. He was able to hobble off the court but was limping badly by the time he got back to the locker room. The 34-year-old Garnett was taken for X-rays, which did not reveal any fracture.

Garnett had surgery on his right knee in May 2009 after missing all of that year's playoffs. He played in only 57 games that season, hurting Boston's attempt to win a second straight title.

He hurt the knee that year going up for an alley-oop in a game against Utah, then aggravated the injury later in the season. He was able to play 69 games last season and helped the Celtics reach the NBA finals.

Boston had won 15 of 16 entering the game against the Pistons, but the Celtics were already dealing with an injury to point guard Rajon Rondo, who sat out his sixth straight game Wednesday with a sprained left ankle.

[Associated Press]

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