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Rivers: KG healthy, but 'Not ready to play basketball at this level'

Print | Comments () Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff January 31, 2010 03:04 PM

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The big debate right now among observers of the Celtics is whether or not their recent struggles are based on health or something more. Kevin Garnett is back. So why did the Celtics lose in Orlando and Atlanta?

All season, Doc Rivers has maintained that even when his players return to the court, it takes some time to get them back into game shape. When asked if he could put the same expectations on Garnett as he did two years ago, Rivers answered definitively.

"Yeah I can," said Rivers. "But not right now. Right now, none of our guys that have come back [from injury], you can't hold any of them to normal standards. The biggest issue with our injuries is they're healthy now, but they're not ready to play basketball at this level yet, full-time.

"The only way they're going to get back is to keeping them on the floor and letting them play through it. Unfortunately while you're doing that, your team is going to struggle a little bit."