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KG thoughts on Celtics win over Knicks

Print | Comments () Posted by Gary Washburn Globe Staff October 9, 2009 10:29 PM

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THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY?

KG: "Not really (any). I just having the day off, not having to practice, just to be a little more polished. Other than that? No. Nothing worth mentioning."

YOU GOT TANGLED WITH JARED JEFFRIES IN THE SECOND QUARTER, WHAT HAPPENED?

KG: "He kicked me in the calf. That didn't help things but a little hot pack here and there and some ice and I thought I finished the game pretty well. (To Paul Pierce) Did I look like I was hurt? Pierce: "You looked like you got kicked in the calf.:

KG: So I got kicked in the calf, so if you got kicked in the calf, that's what you would look like. But from performance and reacting, I thought defensively, it didn't stop anything. I thought Al (Harrington) did a very good job of attacking, being very, very aggressive coming off the dribble, which tests the reaction in my leg. I thought I did a decent job with that. He's a scorer. When he's attacking like that, he's like a bull, he goes to the rack really hard. As opposed to years when I played him, it's nothing out of the ordinary, so it wasn't nothing to throw the caution flag or nothing like that. I just got kicked. It is a contact sport and I thought I played through it pretty well."

ARE YOU GOING OUT THERE WITHOUT ANY WORRIES ABOUT YOUR KNEE?

I'm not back to where I want to be, but I don't have any worries when I go out there and play. I'm putting in my time. I'm putting in my work, I am doing everything they ask me to do and then some, just getting stronger. It's about time and duration at this point. I'm not even thinking about that."

SO YOU'RE NOT IN SHAPE BUT YOU FEEL GOOD?

What do you mean I'm not in shape? You got to be careful how your word this homie. We don't have those type of minutes right now, that's what preseason is for. But I don't think anybody is into 48-minute shape but I don't know what my minutes are going to be but for the meantime, I get the minutes that Doc is playing me I think I am very energetic. I think I am like I am always, all out, full throttle. Nothing unusual.

IS PLAYING A FULL QUARTER STILL A LANDMARK FOR YOU?

I see I'm getting a lot of leg questions tonight. Whatever Doc sees as minutes for me, I just want to be able to be productive in those minutes. First quarter I thought I was pretty active, just energy wise. I thought I was pretty energetic. I'm eager, very eager, so at this point my challenge is for me to be centered, under control, not to be too hype when I am going out there. Small things like that. So fast. Like we played Houston and I was playing concepts. In training camp I was playing a lot of concept basketball because it was going so fast and I think from a timing standpoint, that's the only thing I am kind of worried about. You can do things in drills to simulate it but in the game it's totally different.

"Timing-wise, I'm trying to get that down. Pick and rolls, talking, making sure my chemistry with Perk and Paul and Rondo, just trying to make sure all that is intact and playing. I'm not worried about my legs. Hell, I think everybody who is playing in preseason has some kind of knick knack if not one or two. I'm not different from that. My thing is just being healthy throughout the year and being healthy when playoffs get here. I have small goals I am trying to reach. I'm listening to guys, they are talking to me about taking time, resting. Trying to tell me patience is a hard thing to acquire but I am doing the best way I can, so that's my dilemma.