BOSTONIt looks like the Big Threes of Miami and Boston will be reduced to only one player - Paul Pierce - tonight.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he will sit LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh tonight, while C's coach Doc Rivers plans to give Kevin Garnett the night off as well.
Ray Allen is still nursing a right ankle injury, and was not going to play regardless. The C's will also be without Mickael Pietrus (right knee) and Greg Stiemsma (sore feet) tonight, although Pietrus is expected to play Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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The decision to sit Garnett (hip flexor) wasn't one that Rivers wanted to do.
In fact, it was Garnett who approached Rivers about not playing tonight.
"I wanted to play him tonight," Rivers said. "My choice was more tonight and give him a day off Thursday. Kevin never comes in andwhen he comes in and says, 'I think I need two more days,' that speaks volumes."
So Rivers once again finds himself adapting his line-up, on the fly.
"You have your plans and sometimes they don't work," Rivers said. "This is one of them. When we looked at the schedule two weeks ago, we thought if we could lock up our division, the Atlanta game was the smart game to sit (players) because you had the three days off and the Miami game would be a great game to get them playing again right after a practice. Well that sounded great and looked great until the real life part of it came in and guys just weren't ready."