AUBURN HILLS, Mich.The Boston Celtics will not have Kevin Garnett for tonight's game against Detroit - and possibly Monday's game at Dallas as well.
Garnett is attending to a personal matter that will likely keep him away from the team until Wednesday's game at Oklahoma City.
Celtics coach Doc Rivers said there's a chance that Garnett will rejoin the team in time for tomorrow's game against the Mavs, but added that he's leaving that decision totally up to Garnett.
Rivers said he knew the C's would be without Garnett on Thursday.
"This is not injury-related," Rivers said. "It's something else."
Chris Wilcox, who will get the start in Garnett's absence, said Garnett had some "family issues."
For the Celtics, not having Garnett is another blow in their efforts to develop more continuity and with that, victories.
Garnett missed last week's game against the Pistons with a hip flexor injury. And the Celtics are already going to be without Brandon Bass (left knee), who is not expected back until sometime after the all-star break.
"It's tough, especially when you go on this road trip, and you just want to be healthy," Rivers said. "And you just haven't had that opportunity. This is a road trip I've really been looking forward to. We thought a week ago, Kevin was going to be good and Brandon was going to be healthy and now you don't have either one for at least one of the games, maybe two. That makes it a tough trip."
Not having the team whole or at least relatively intact, also complicates the team's ability to evaluate whether to be active participants in potential trade talks.
"I think we like our team," Rivers said. "Obviously, we don't like our record. We would like to see how good this team can be in whole. Hell, you win five games in a row and all of a sudden, you're in the third spot in the East. I don't think we should overdue it, panic about it."