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Garnett, Celtics begin highly anticipated season vs. Wizards

Nov 2, 2007 - 1:30 PM Washington (0-1) at Boston (0-0) 8:00 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - Kevin Garnett and the new-look Boston Celtics hope to start their season on a positive note Friday when they host the Washington Wizards.

Boston, which went 24-58 last season, received a charge when it acquired Garnett - a 10-time All-Star - on July 31 in a multi-player deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Garnett, who spent all of his career in Minnesota, has averaged 20.5 points and 11.4 rebounds over 12 seasons.

The Garnett acquisition came on the heels of the Celtics trading for seven-time All-Star Ray Allen on June 28 in a draft-day deal with the Seattle Supersonics that involved five players. Allen averaged 21.5 points in 11 seasons with Milwaukee and Seattle.

With Garnett and Allen joining five-time All-Star Paul Pierce, the Boston faithful has title thoughts on its minds for the first time since the last 'Big Three' (Larry Bird, Robert Parrish, Kevin McHale) led the team to its 16th NBA championship in 1986.

The three All-Stars, who have a combined 32 years of NBA experience, will lean on second-year point guard Rajon Rondo to get them the ball where they want it. Fourth-year center Kendrick Perkins is the other member of the starting five.

Pierce, however, knows all of the accomplishments by his new teammates doesnt guarantee a thing before the games are played.

"We by no means feel like we're kings of the East," Pierce said. "We've got to go out there and show it because we've got a target on our back. We've got to be ready every day because everybody's looking at the commercials, the magazine covers seeing all that stuff."

The first test of the superstar trio will come against Washington, winner of four straight against Boston, including three last season.

The Wizards lost, 119-110, in overtime to Indiana on Wednesday in their season opener. A ll-Star Gilbert Arenas, who paced Washington with 34 points, drilled a 3-pointer to send the contest into overtime, but his team could not capitalize on his big shot. Antawn Jamison had 27 points and 16 rebounds and Caron Butler added 19 and 11 for the Wizards, who haven't started 0-2 since the 1997-98 season.