Way Too Close for Comfort

Kevin Garnett left last night's game in Detroit with a "tweaked right calf."
At first glance, Celtics Nation couldn't help but think the worst. 

Coming into last night's showdown at the Palace at Auburn Hills in Detroit, the main storyline was not whether or not the Celtics could win back-to-back games on the road but instead how the heated matchup between Kevin Garnett and the Pistons' Charlie Villanueva would play out.

As if Celtics fans needed reminding, it was nearly two full months ago that Villanueva broke the cardinal sin of player/opponent confidentiality, defying the universally accepted mantra in sports of "what happens between the lines stays between the lines." And while we all know KG to be a fiery competitor willing to say or do anything to get under the skin of an opponent, Villanueva quickly became public enemy number one in Beantown when he accused Garnett of calling him a "cancer patient" via Twitter after their early November matchup in Detroit, which the Celtics won convincingly, 109-86.

Last night, just minutes before tip-off, the Celtics legendary play-by-play announcer Mike Gorman noted that Garnett embraced each and every Piston in his customary pre-game style except Villanueva, whom he ignored entirely. However, the drama between KG and Villanueva suddenly became an afterthought when the worst fear for Celtics fans came true just nine minutes into regulation.

After taking a bounce pass in the paint from Ray Allen, Garnett soared to the bucket to slam home an easy two points like we've all witnessed a thousand times before. However, instead of returning to the ground and hustling back to play defense, KG hung on the rim awkwardly then gingerly descended to the floor before grabbing his right knee and writhing in pain.

Instantly, Celtics fans held their collective breath. We had lived this nightmare before. Wasting no time, we immediately flashed back to that fateful night in Utah against the Jazz two seasons ago when KG elevated for an alley-oop and ended up shredding his right night, an injury that effectively ended his 2008-09 campaign and required surgery which he was just beginning to fully recover from.

Not again.

Soon everything began to spiral out of control. Garnett collapsed at half court, unable to put pressure on his right knee. Celtics players and training staff huddled around him and carried him to the bench where the Big Ticket could be seen burying his head in his hands, overcome with pain.

Just like that our championship run was done. No more KG. No more Big Three. No more rematch with the Lakers in the Finals.

Then, when it couldn't get any worse, the basketball gods seemed to spare us. KG was able to walk off the court under his own power. Soon, word surfaced that the X-Rays were negative and no structural fractures had occurred.

Thank god.

The Celtics deemed KG's injury a "tweaked right calf." He is set to undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the extent of the injury.

"Hopefully it's not a bad one," Doc Rivers told the Boston Globe after the game, which the Celtics lost 104-92. "I don't think it is. I don't think it's that serious, so I'm not that concerned. He's going to miss games probably. I don't know how many but I don't think it will be that long."

Suddenly, from Rhode Island to Maine to Massachusetts, a collective sigh of relief could be overheard throughout New England. KG might be out a week or two but rest assured, the Big Ticket is still on course to raise Banner 18 in June.