At age 36, Kevin Garnett has been the most important player in the Eastern Conference finals.
Because of his play, the Boston Celtics knocked off Miami 94-90 in Game 5 and are on the doorstep of returning to the NBA finals for the third time in five years. Because of him the team that everyone called too old — a team GM Danny Ainge discussed breaking up at the trade deadline — is one win away from a shot at another ring.
“He’s just amazing,” Boston coach Doc Rivers said, via A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “Obviously we need his scoring. That’s important, but he just … he’s our life. I mean, he really is. He just does so many things that don’t have numbers to it. A lot of it is his voice. He’s in a strange way a calming effect on some of our guys, if you can ever call Kevin that, he is. He’s just been terrific for us.”
Garnett has done it at both ends of the floor. He finished the game a +4 in a four point win.
The Celtics start with defense and KG has been the beating heart of that for Boston his series — when he is on the floor their defense has forced the Heat to take jump shots (which they have often missed). When he is resting it is a layup parade for Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. The difference is stark.
At the other end, starting in the second quarter Boston was able to establish him in the post and Miami doesn’t have an answer for him, especially since he can also pop out and knock down a midrange shot. Garnett had a team high 26 points in the Game 5 win.
For KG, the two ends of the floor are not separate, one can flow out of the other. Again from CSNNE.com.
“I let a lot of the offense come to me,” said Garnett, who also had 11 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. “I look at myself as a defensive player first. I thought some of the defensive plays I was able to make fueled me into getting some easy baskets.”
Closeout games are hard, nobody knows that better than Garnett and these Celtics. But thanks to Garnett they get a chance to do it at home, in front of a home crowd that truly lifts them to another level. A place where their role players feel more comfortable and are able to make plays.
But in the end, it will come down to Kevin Garnett if Boston is to win. He is their beating heart.
