New regimen, to boot

Garnett has added soccer to training

HOUSTON - Celtics captain Paul Pierce changed diets and increased his workout schedule to prepare for the season. Kevin Garnett played soccer.

In fact, Garnett played a lot of soccer, installing a field in the backyard of his Wayzata, Minn., home and playing pickup games. Garnett is a supporter of Chelsea FC and follows the example of Blues forward Didier Drogba as a goal-scorer.

"I don't have striker's skills," Garnett said. "I just want the liberty of not only passing the ball but also the liberty of shooting the ball, or at least trying to be a striker."

Garnett has been recruited to play in benefit soccer games, such as the one NBA stars Leandro Barbosa, Raja Bell, Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Joakim Noah, and Barcelona's Thierry Henry set up in New York in June, but declined because he does not want to play goalkeeper.

Garnett became a soccer fan through watching YouTube images of freestyle players, adopting Brazilian star Ronaldinho among his favorites. When Ronaldinho and Brazil met Mexico at Gillette Stadium last year, Garnett was among the area soccer attendance record 67,584 fans.

"I didn't know Boston had that big a Brazilian population," Garnett said. "It takes me half an hour to get to a Patriots game and it took 3 1/2 hours to get to the Brazil-Mexico game. Next time, I'm taking a helicopter."

Nash popularized playing soccer in the offseason for conditioning.

"He actually knows how to bend the ball and that type of stuff," Garnett said of Nash. "I'm just a fan and enjoy watching it, more than a true competitor. When it's time to get back in shape I get my friends and go in the backyard and start messing around."

Garnett said he "made a promise to myself" to attend a Serie A game in Italy now that Ronaldinho has joined Milan. And he is making plans for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"I've never been to Africa and [longtime NBA center] Dikembe Mutombo wants to get me over there, but I just haven't had the time," Garnett said. "I definitely want to go to the World Cup. So, I'll probably go to Cape Town, make a trip there first to see what I'm in for."

Travel travails
Boston was off its game and out of sorts even before losing, 95-79, to the Pacers in Indianapolis Saturday night. The Celtics' charter flight departed just before 1 a.m., and the team checked into its hotel more than three hours later.

"That was very unlike us," guard Ray Allen said of the Celtics' performance. "But we've been doing this for a long time. There's no excuses. Every team has [travel difficulties]."

Coach Doc Rivers said the team failed to follow the offensive plan, settling for perimeter shots instead of throwing it into the post as a first option.

"That was our worst ratio of the year, the worst ratio in two years," Rivers said. "We were trigger happy with jumpers. You know, you get in at 4 in the morning, you probably should throw it into the post, because your jumpers are all going to hit front rim. We never got that, and I've got to do a better job of that, making sure we are going inside."

Picking up pace
The loss to the Pacers was the Celtics' worst since a 110-92 defeat against Utah March 14, although they lost by greater margins in the playoffs, at Detroit (94-75) May 26 and at Cleveland (108-84) May 10. "I like what they've done," Rivers said of the Pacers. "No. 1, the character of their team is up. You win with character, and they can play. I like their team. To do what they've done in one summer is pretty impressive." . . . The Celtics took yesterday off and will practice today in preparation for tomorrow night's game against the Rockets . . . Tracy McGrady scored 22 points as the Rockets improved to 3-0 with an 89-77 win over Oklahoma City Saturday night.

Frank Dell'Apa can be reached at f_dellapa@globe.com.