Ray Allen (1 rebound) tries his best against the Magic's Dwight Howard (16 rebounds).
(REINHOLd matay/Associated Press)
Celtics Notebook
ORLANDO, Fla. - Forward Kevin Garnett tried to convince coach Doc Rivers on the bus ride from the team hotel that he might be healthy enough to play against Orlando yesterday. Rivers, however, wouldn't budge.
Garnett missed his first game of the season with an abdominal strain. Garnett missed part of the fourth quarter of the Celtics' win over the Timberwolves Friday night with the injury, which he said has been bothering him recently.
"That muscle in the stomach is not anything you play with," Rivers said. "From the history of other players that have had it, he can actually be injured and be out for a while. We're lucky that he caught it early enough.
"He may play Tuesday [at Miami], may. But I doubt that. I just think we go day to day with it. It's just not worth taking a chance."
Garnett stayed in the locker room during the game and declined to answer questions after the game.
"I'll talk to ya'll later . . . " Garnett said. "I'm feeling good."
Rivers said Garnett is such a competitor it can't be left up to him whether he should play when injured.
He also said Garnett didn't take the news that he wasn't playing easily.
"He wants to play for 48 minutes," Rivers said. "That's why you love him.
"He wasn't happy about it. It's all right. That's what the coach does. You have to make a decision and upset your guys sometimes. But that's fine."
Stoudamire watch
The Celtics likely will have interest in Grizzlies point guard Damon Stoudamire if he clears waivers, as expected, Wednesday. His buyout papers are expected to be signed today. The Suns and Raptors also are expected to have interest.
Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge said he doesn't comment on free agents. "I understand the [veteran point guard] speculation," Ainge said. "We're going to be in the playoffs. We have a young point guard [Rajon Rondo]. But I don't want to just have a veteran point guard. We need the right veteran point guard. I'm happy with our roster."
Stoudamire said yesterday he plans on working out in Houston. Rondo said it would benefit him to have a veteran backup to turn to for advice. Stoudamire has said he'd have no problem backing up Rondo.
"I know his capabilities from playing against him the last two years," Rondo said. "He's a smart point guard, he's been around the league a long time, and he knows a lot about the game. He can shoot the ball and he knows how to run an offense. So [it would] be another bonus for me as an individual learning more about the game."
Speculation persists that the Celtics also have interest in Clippers point guard Sam Cassell, a former teammate of Garnett's. The only way the Celtics likely could acquire Cassell is if the veteran is bought out of his contract, since Boston doesn't appear to have the right pieces to make a trade.
An NBA source said the Clippers would consider buying out Cassell if he worked out a reasonable agreement, but nothing is imminent.
Cassell is making $6.1 million this season.
Scalabrine back
Brian Scalabrine started in place of Garnett and had 1 point; he'd missed Friday night's game with a "24-hour flu." He said he went to a Boston hospital and received 3 liters of intravenous fluid because he was dehydrated. He also stayed in bed Saturday until it was time for him to catch the Celtics' charter flight to Orlando. "I couldn't hold anything down," Scalabrine said. "I couldn't hold down a sip of water." . . . Guard Tony Allen's scratched right eye was aggravated when he was hit by Orlando's Maurice Evans. Allen's eye was scratched Friday by Gerald Green. "It's real painful," said Allen. "My eye keeps tearing. I have numbness. I have eyedrops in it." . . . Tommy Heinsohn, taking into account that ABC was broadcasting yesterday's game, decided not to make the Florida trip.
Marc J. Spears can be reached at mspears@globe.com
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