LOS ANGELES — The long-anticipated reunion of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Doc Rivers on Saturday night saw much of the luster dulled when the Nets announced Pierce would sit out with a sore groin, while Garnett would be a game-time decision with a sprained right ankle.
“It’s going to be good to see my old people over there,” Garnett said after the Nets’ overtime triumph over the Suns Friday. “It’ll be good to see Doc, but more importantly [we have to] to try to get this win.”
Getting that win was going to be extremely difficult against the Clippers, however, with Brook Lopez and Deron Williams — both of whom sprained their left ankles Friday — and Pierce all ruled out and Garnett, who sprained his ankle when Lopez landed on his foot while suffering his own sprain, a possibility to sit out as well.
The absence of Williams, Pierce and Lopez almost certainly meant Shaun Livingston, Alan Anderson and Andray Blatche, respectively, would be inserted into the starting lineup, with rookie Mason Plumlee or Reggie Evans likely to get the start if Garnett were unable to go.
The injuries took away from the buildup to what was expected to be one of the more intriguing games of the NBA season. Garnett, Pierce and Rivers — along with Jason Terry — were expected to be on the same court again for the first time since the Celtics’ ouster from their first-round playoff series against the Knicks last season — this time with Rivers on the opposing bench.
Williams and Lopez left the arena Friday night without the help of walking boots or crutches, and though Williams immediately left the game after spraining his ankle just a few minutes into the first quarter, Lopez and Garnett played the remainder of the game after Lopez landed on Garnett in the final minute of regulation.
With so many starters out, Joe Johnson — who hit the game-tying shot in regulation and the game-winner at the buzzer in overtime — was expected to pick up the scoring burden.
To help bolster their depth Saturday — considering in addition to players injured Friday, Andrei Kirilenko has missed this entire trip with back spasms — Tornike Shengelia was called up from the Springfield Armor and was expected to be in Los Angeles in time to play, after flying across the country.