BOSTON — Celtics star Kevin Garnett could miss two weeks because of a strained right calf.
General manager Danny Ainge said Thursday that an MRI and a thorough examination showed Garnett’s injury Wednesday night was muscular and unrelated to a right knee injury that forced him to miss the 2009 playoffs and was surgically repaired.
“It’s not anything to do with his knee, which is great news,” Ainge said on WEEI radio. “It’s one of those injuries that may keep him out for a couple of weeks at the most, I would say.”
Garnett was hurt when he jumped for a dunk with 2:38 left in the first quarter of a 104-92 loss at the Detroit Pistons. The forward, who is averaging 15.4 points and a team-leading 9.8 rebounds, limped down the court before leaving the game.
The injury is the latest in a string of them for the Celtics.
Rajon Rondo missed the last six games with a sprained left ankle, Delonte West has been sidelined for the last 15 with a broken right wrist and Jermaine O’Neal missed 19 games with sore knees before playing the last three. Kendrick Perkins has been sidelined the entire season following surgery for a knee injury suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, won by the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games.
The Celtics lead the Eastern Conference with a 24-6 record but have lost two of their last three games after winning 14 in a row. They resume play on Friday at home against the New Orleans Hornets.
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