Garnett: "I'm a work in progress"

This from the Herald:

“Physically I’m feeling really good, but you have no idea of the (expletive) that I go through, come in here and be Grade B or Grade A, I’m a work in progress,” Garnett said. “I just have to continue to do the things I’ve been.”

But the goal in all of this work is starting to come clear. Garnett’s game, though still rudimentary, is showing signs of something better. The irony is that his calling card - defense - may be the area still suffering from the most slippage.

You can say that again.  Though Garnett still has a profound effect on the Celtics' team defense, he still hasn't been able to regain all of his mobility and, specifically, his lateral movement.  Remember Al Harrington lighting him up?  That wouldn't exactly have happened pre-injury.

With the lack of mobility, Garnett finds himself focusing more on the defensive end than ever:

“I think that’s it, because offense is second nature,” he said. “I hate to say that, but since I’ve been in Boston my mentality has been defensive. When I was younger I had a lot more responsibility as far as playing the game. You have to come down and score at the end, you have to defend the other team’s best player, make sure everyone has a solid shot.

“Here I’m just a piece in the defensive puzzle, and I’m thinking more defensively since I’ve been here. Since I stepped in and put the jersey on I’m more of a defensive player and I like that. Offensively I’m sound, and when I’m not forcing the issue everything else just flows.”

Even with his easily evident lack of mobility, Garnett says he hasn't thought about his knee at all:

“I’m trying to tell you, man, I don’t even think twice about my leg,” he said. “There’s nothing about this game that is second-guessed, my shot selection, and what Doc (Rivers, the C’s coach) wants me to do.”

I'm glad Garnett isn't second-guessing his leg, but I think I've done more than enough second-guessing for the both of us. He may not say he's worried about it, but he got murdered by Al Harrington. AL HARRINGTON! Oh well, at least Rasheed has shown he can guard the quicker power forwards when he needs to. Wait... you're trying to remind me he just made Michael Beasley look more like Charles Barkley?...

At least there's Scal?

Doh.