In a development that could alter the course of the entire NBA season, Kevin Garnett left the Boston Celtics' 104-92 loss to the Detroit Pistons this evening on an attempted dunk, hurting his calf, reports Comcast Sports Net. SB Nation's CelticsBlog has more on the story.
Garnett serves as the linchpin to the Celtics' top-ranked defense, which allows only 98.8 points per 100 possessions. Should he miss any significant time due to injury, the Orlando Magic could gain serious ground on Boston in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Orlando, which stands at 20-12 after four consecutive wins, opened the day seven games behind the 24-5 Celtics in the loss column. Tonight's game drops Boston to 24-6.
The Magic defeated the Celtics on Christmas Day to take an early edge in the season series. Garnett tallied game-highs with 22 points and 4 steals in that contest.