Garnett not an attention-grabber

Kevin Garnett, who asked his teammates to join him a la Mike Eruzione, raised the Defensive Player of the Year award to another level before the game. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Want to put a little crimp in KG's game? Give him an award beforehand.

If nothing else, we've learned how selfless Kevin Garnett is this season, how he hates the individual attention (which is why he almost always insists on having a companion at postgame interviews) and how he is focused on one thing and one thing only - his first NBA championship.

But NBA protocol dictated that some guy from Kia show up last night to give Garnett a trophy for winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Oh yeah, and add a vehicle to boot. Garnett dutifully accepted the award, then, evoking memories of Mike Eruzione at Lake Placid, called for his teammates to join him at halfcourt for the celebration. He raised the award, gestured toward his teammates, and then went out and played, well, OK in the Celtics' matter-of-fact, 96-77 demolition of the overmatched Atlanta Hawks.

This marks the second time in his career Garnett has received a regular-season award before a playoff game. In both cases, he must have been unnerved by the attention or the fact it messed up his everything-as-it-should-be pregame ritual, from staring down the basket support to clapping his powdered hands in front of the team broadcasters. He was 6 for 18 from the field, missing five straight shots at the end of the third quarter.

"He don't like the attention," said James Posey. "But he deserved it."

Garnett was back on the court in the fourth quarter, pounding his chest, talking to everyone and no one in that X-rated, staccato style of his, and, after two more bricks, making a 3-point basket to snap his 0-for-7 slide. He left to a rousing ovation with 2:25 remaining, finishing with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes. Good numbers. But he admitted to the ceremony being a little bit of a distraction, albeit "a good distraction. Obviously, it's for the fans and the people to show their appreciation. It is gratifying. We all have a routine and we like to stick to it, but it's cool. It wasn't that big of a distraction."

When the Minnesota Timberwolves opened their second-round playoff series at home against the Sacramento Kings May 4, 2004, there was some guy from the NBA (David Stern) there to present Garnett with the Most Valuable Player Award.

Garnett then went out and had 16 points, 18 rebounds, and 7 assists. Pretty good, right? But he was 6 for 21 from the field, had six turnovers and, worst of all, the Wolves lost to the Kings, 104-98, despite 40 points from Garnett's once and future teammate, Sam Cassell.

"When we were playing in the [conference] semis against [Sacramento] and they wanted to do the MVP award," Garnett recalled. "And then all of the things you all don't get to see before, coming in really early, meeting the commissioner, taking thousands of pictures, and then going out trying to prepare for a game? That wasn't easy."

If Garnett isn't comfortable with the personal recognition for individual achievement, he should be able to take exception to what he received last night. It still is hard to fathom. A member of the Celtics won the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Until Tuesday's announcement, the DPY was to the Celtics what the Oscars were to Bob Hope. And, you'd have to say, there was a reason for that. The Celtics generally approached defense the way Allen Iverson approaches practice.

So, really, is there a more deserving accolade for a Celtic this season than the one Garnett won Tuesday? This has been a defensive team since Day 1. You can trace that to Tom Thibodeau and his schemes, to Garnett and his play, or even to the others embracing both the schemes and the recognition that KG has their back. I mean, whoever thought we'd be lauding Paul Pierce's defense?

Yes, Garnett is a legitimate candidate for MVP, but he seems to have the staying power of Mike Huckabee in that race. It sure looks like a Kobe-fest for MVP. Garnett will get some votes and he is the lock de tutti locks to make his annual appearance on the All-Defensive first team. No Celtic has been there since 1988 (Kevin McHale).

A Celtic as the Defensive Player of the Year? A Celtic on the All-Defensive team? That's an eye-opener. But that should be it for Garnett.

Unfortunately for future Celtics opponents, they'll likely be no more pregame distractions for him this spring.

Peter May can be reached at pmay@globe.com.