Tiny Tim and Emeka Okafor.

No Rajon Rondo, no Kevin Garnett, no problem. Err, I mean, plenty of problems.

Ray Allen missed a contested three-pointer with five seconds remaining, and the Celtics lost by two points, 83-81, to the New Orleans Hornets. The Celtics struggled to score baskets for much of the night (see: no Rajon Rondo), but a 16-0 fourth-quarter run left the C’s ahead by seven points with 6:26 left. From then, they were a lot like my one friend who gets zero girls — they just couldn’t close.

Trevor Ariza hit a three-pointer while Paul Pierce was inside Ariza’s jersey, Glen Davis took (and clanked) a late three-pointer (why? Why???? WHYYYY????????), and the C’s allowed a win to slip through their hands.

I would contribute more, but, well, it’s New Year’s Eve. Have a nice night, everyone, and be safe.

If you didn’t know already, Celtics Town is one of 25 finalists for the BallHyped Sports Blog of the Year Award.

Currently, we are in first place, but barely holding on. In the name of hanging onto our slim lead (voting ends at midnight tonight), I ask that you please vote. If you haven’t already, that is.

Voting is easy, and takes about ten seconds. Just click on the following link and vote for celticstown.com.

http://ballhyped.com/about/ballhyped-sports-blogs-of-the-year/

Thanks in advance for your vote. I, like you, look forward to Rondo’s potential return this afternoon. Happy New Year’s, folks. Enjoy the night, and stay safe.

The perfect way to end the Old Year: Danny Ainge addresses the Sheed possibility. (ESPN, via WEEI)

“I don’t know, I know that he’s been in our locker room a few of times this year and he’s been to a couple of practices,” said Ainge. “I know the guys are teasing him about that — about coming back. He’s said that he doesn’t want to come back.

“I’m not sure there’s room for Rasheed, unless we just have a whole bunch of injuries. Right now our center position, we have three healthy centers, we have a fourth one that’s not too far away in [Kendrick Perkins]. Right now, I’m more concerned about our backcourt with Delonte [West] and Rajon down, and Nate [Robinson] not quite 100 percent. Again, with [heightened minutes for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce], we need Avery [Bradley] and Von [Wafer] and Luke [Harangody] to step up and contribute.”

Pressed on if the injury to Garnett was more severe, would he put more consideration into Wallace, Ainge noted, “I don’t see him at the same position as KG.”

Ainge is completely right.

Let’s forget for a second how bad Sheed was last season. Let’s forget all the ill-advised (and bricked) three-pointers, the piss-poor defensive rotations, and the inexcusable lack of rebounding. Let’s forget his penchant for technical fouls, his lazy attitude, and the fact that I’m still 75% convinced that Sheed’s laissez-faire mentality led to last year’s half-assed regular season effort. Let’s forget all that. Just wipe it all out of your brains.

Still, Sheed wouldn’t fit on the Celtics. They already have four capable centers (yes, I’m counting Semih Erden and Jermaine O’Neals zombie), and Sheed can’t possibly play power forward. He’s far too slow. So even if KG misses more time than we expect, Sheed can’t help replace him.

Even if the Celtics would want him to. Which, after the debacle that was last year, I would hope they wouldn’t.

Eroded skills don’t lie.

The MRI results are in, and Kevin Garnett’s knee injury has been deemed a strained calf. (Celtics Twitter, A. Sherrod Blakely Twitter)

Update: Kevin Garnett has a muscle strain in his right leg. MRI results came back negative. He will likely miss a “couple of weeks”.

KG’s MRI came back negative. Has a muscle strain in the right calf area. Will likely be out two weeks.

For anyone still questioning the validity of these reports, I leave you with this: (Seattle Times)

Boston Celtics officials say forward Kevin Garnett will miss from two to three weeks because of a strained muscle behind his knee. …

“He wanted to run, and I just said no,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “Listen, we have a long season and I’m not taking a risk putting him on the floor. We would have loved to have him, obviously. It probably would have made a difference. Unless he’s close to 100 percent, I’d rather have him healthy for the playoffs.”

Just so you know, that Seattle Times article is from 2009. Eerie similarities to this year, no?

And if you don’t recall, here’s what actually happened in 2009: The strained muscle back then was actually a strained popliteus tendon, which was actually complicated by bone spurs the size of Big Baby Davis. The combination of both injuries led to KG missing that year’s playoffs. He spent the next year and a half either rehabbing, or getting destroyed by the likes of Kris Humphries, Andray Blatche and Al Harrington.

So take the Celtics’ word with a grain of salt. Still, the news is encouraging.

If it’s true.

Dear MRI, please come back negative. Sincerely, Celtics Town

According to CSNNE, the Boston Celtics didn’t think an MRI was necessary for Kevin Garnett’s knee. The superstar will undergo (has undergone) an MRI today simply as a precautionary measure, based on his own request.

But Ainge tells CSNNE.com that the MRI, more than anything else, was being performed as a precautionary measure, not a necessity.

In fact, it was Garnett’s idea to have an MRI taken. …

“It was pretty clear what it was,” Rivers said of Garnett’s muscle injury. “Honestly, [Celtics trainer] Eddie [Lacerte] told me at halftime. Once he told me he [Garnett] would be all right, I was gone.” …

“Everything that I have been told,” Ainge told CSNNE.com, “it has to do with the muscle and not the knee, which is a good thing, obviously.”

With this news, Garnett’s injury may not be so serious after all. But as things will be whenever Garnett goes down, and especially when he goes down while limping on his previously-injured knee, I still feel like a death row inmate waiting for his execution. Just give us back the results, and let us hear Garnett is okay, for sure.

And please, don’t lie to us. Transparency, Celtics. Please.

Doc Rivers just interviewed on WEEI, and he maintained optimism regarding Kevin Garnett’s non-knee injury.

“I can’t tell you much more than what you know already,” Rivers said. “He’s going to do more tests today. We do think it’s muscle-related. We don’t think it has anything to do with the knee, but we don’t know. So we’re going to wait and see.”

Rivers added, “I think we’re in good shape here, but you just never know. I’m just going to wait for the MRI. I should know by mid-afternoon.”

This is how on-edge I am — I hear, “We don’t think it has anything to do with the knee, but we don’t know,” and all I hear is , “But we don’t know.”

Still, the Celtics are almost positive it’s a muscle, rather than the knee or a ligament/tendon. Why? Because KG’s stability tested out well. (Boston Herald)

“The doctor checked the knee joint stability, lateral and all that, and that came away good,” Twiss said. “So that’s good.”

The MRI is later today, and the Celtics should know by mid-afternoon. Until then, the season hangs in the balance.

And in case your mind isn’t entirely focused on KG, Rajon Rondo remains day-to-day. (WEEI)

“I don’t know if we’ll see him tomorrow or not but he’s getting close,” Rivers said. “Each time he’s worked out there’s been some swelling. That’s a concern. We’re going to take it slow. We’re not going to push him back, we’ll just wait until he’s ready to play.”