There was not one other guy on Tuesday night sighing a heavier sigh of relief than Kevin Garnett. For K.G. he has finally “cemented” his name in the all time greatest players. For so many years(13 to be exact), including 12 in Minnesota, and this being his first in Boston, all Kevin heard about was how good of a player he was, but how he had never won “the big gone”. Well, now, he has. So excuse him if he seemed a little overly excited during the post game press conference. As he said “what do you have to say now”? Garnett, who turned 32 in May, grew up in rural South Carolina dreaming of being a NBA Champion. His much maligned move to Chicago, during his senior year of high school seemed to bring him the attention he needed. Playing his high school ball in the inner city of Chicago, led Farragut to the state playoffs in Illinois his senior season, along Ronnie Fields, who may have been the better of the two athletically. Kevin was drafted fifth by the Minnesota Timberwolves in a great draft class of 1995.

For 12 of Kevin’s 13 season in Minnesota, he did not miss over 10 games a year. His injury in 1998-1999 caused him to only play in 47 of the team’s 82 games. Amazingly, especially for this day in age of whiner professional basketball players, Kevin went three straight years playing every single regular season game, and went the three years before that just missing ONE game the entire season. What a feat.

Now you ask, why is this guy a hall of famer? Let’s take a look at some of his numbers. For Kevin’s career, he is nearly shooting 50% from the field, which is pretty impressive for a 6’11 power forward. From the free throw line, Kevin has never had a single season free throw percentage of under 70.0%, and his career mark is at 78.1%. 9 of his 13 seasons, Kevin has averaged double doubles, with rebounds and points. His high rebound average topped out at 13.9 during the 2003-2004 season. Kevin also went nine straight years of averaging 20.0 points or more per game. His single season high topped out at 24.2, also in the 2003-2004 season. His career rebounding average is at an astonishing 11.2 per game, while his points per game sits at 20.4.

Some may argue that the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics would not have been a difficult team to lead to a NBA title, with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen as teammates. Yes, Pierce and Allen were awfully good, but we all know of a better threesome that has NOT win a title. Kevin’s stats may have been a little down this season, but not much. Let’s take a look at them. He did miss 11 games during this season, averaging only 32 minutes per game, 5.5 minutes down from his career average. This year, Kevin topped out at his shooting percentage for a season. KG shot a stellar 53.9% from the field this season. Kevin was simply on fire. His 80.1% from the charity stripe was 2.0% better than his career average. Kevin’s rebounding numbers were a bit down, only averaging 9.2, but still awfully impressive with his numbers being down, and the teammates he had around him! KG also averaged 18.8 points per game, which is impressive, but even that ranks as his third worse for a single season, in his career.

So why is this an argument?

Some may simply just say because Kevin has many “haters”. Others may just think his numbers simply weren’t good enough. Others argue that a true hall of famer should be able to carry his team to an NBA championship. Well Boston’s 66 regular season wins, plus their 16 postseason wins, including four over the Lakers, with a guy many people call one of the best players in all the game, in Kobe Bryant. No matter how you look at it, Kevin Garnett did what many people thought he never could do. Sure, the Celtics had an absolutely dominate team, compared to the rest of the league, but even the best teams don’t always win it all, and to win 16 games in May and June is a feat in and of itself. If Kevin didn’t do enough, in the sixth and final game- scoring a game high 26 points, and grabbing 14 rebounds, and dishing out 4 assists. From the field, Kevin was 10-18, and 6-7 from the free throw line. All of this after K.G. was bashed for his play in game five in which he only scored 13 points, but once again grabbed 14 boards. Just goes to show that no matter how well you do, some people, and some media members are blinded by their dislike, or hatred, that they will try to tear a man down as much as possible. That is what was happening with the kid, and he answered the call in the best way possible!

Draw your own conclusions on what all this material means. Simply stated, many people said Kevin Garnett needed to win a NBA title for him to get himself ingrained with the Michael Jordan’s, Dr. J’s, Larry Bird’s of the game, and he did that, and all in impressive style. Kevin Garnett is a true hero for many young American boys, and now he can call himself a NBA Champion!

2008 season:

• 71 games
• 32.4 minutes per game
• 53.9% from the field
• 80.1% from free throw
• 9.2 rebounds per game
• 3.4 assists per game
• 1.9 turnovers per game
• 1.4 steals per game
• 1.3 blocks per game
• 18.8 points per game

2008 playoffs:

• 26 games
• 37.9 minutes per game
• 49.5% from the field
• 25.0% from three point
• 81.0% from free throw
• 274 total rebounds
• 87 total assists
• 55 total turnovers
• 35 total steals
• 29 total blocks
• 530 total points

Kevin Garnett’s career stats:

• 998 games
• 37.5 minutes per game
• 49.4% from the field
• 28.4% from three point
• 78.1% from free throw
• 11.2 rebounds per game
• 4.4 assists per game
• 2.5 turnovers per game
• 1.4 steals per game
• 1.7 blocks per game
• 20.4 points per game

His day had finally arrived. A day to ride in his own championship parade. A day that gave normal people a chance to wave signs, paint their faces in Celtics colors and scream their hearts out for the latest team to bring a title to town.

“We’re tired of watching these parades on TV. Now we get to enjoy our own,” Pierce said after a fantastic season that followed nine frustrating ones in his Boston career. “I haven’t had any sleep yet, so now I’m still enjoying it.”

The Celtics earned Thursday’s “rolling rally” celebration with an amazing comeback season topped off by a stunningly dominant 131-92 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night in Game 6 of the NBA finals. Pierce was the series MVP.

It was the Celtics’ first title without Red Auerbach, the team patriarch who died in October 2006 after being part of the other 16 championships, nine as coach. The cigars smoked by players and fans were a tribute to Auerbach’s custom of lighting one up on the bench in the waning moments of still another win.

“We wish he could be here,” Pierce said before he lit his cigar on his duck boat, “so I’m doing this to honor him.”

Players rode in the amphibious tourist vehicles like those used by soldiers in World War II. They also transported the New England Patriots after their Super Bowl championships in February of 2002, 2004 and 2005 and the Boston Red Sox after their World Series victories in October 2004 and 2007.

Now it was time for Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and their teammates to travel a nearly two-mile route from TD Banknorth Garden, the arena where the title was won in the team’s 108th game of a grueling season — 82 of them wins — to Copley Plaza near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

“We’ve seen plenty of people go through their championship parades,” Allen said, “and never did I think I would be a part of one. It’s great to definitely do it here in Boston.”

Police reported 21 arrests, mostly for disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace. But fans had one last chance to enjoy the team’s first title in 22 years and the area’s sixth in 61/2 years

“Who would have ever thought? Boston. Title town,” said Ryan Stillman, 21, who was born five months after Boston won its last championship on June 8, 1986.

Boston went 66-16 one season after going 24-58, the second worst record in the league.

The mastermind was general manager Danny Ainge, who traded for Garnett and Allen. The field general was coach Doc Rivers. Both let the players absorb the glory.

“As an executive,” Ainge said before the rally, “these guys are like my kids.”

All along the route, fans held signs declaring “Sweet 17,” the number of Celtics championships, and “Have a Cigar.”

Nick D’Ambrosia, a pennant vendor from Hamden, Conn., said when the team won Game 4 in Los Angeles, he bought a batch of $7 pennants to hopefully sell at a Boston victory parade.

“It’s better when they haven’t won in a long time. Everyone loves a new winner,” he said.

Michael Shaughnessy skipped work to bring his 4-year-old grandson Gavin Carter, a big Garnett fan.

“I like that he gets all the shots and he dunks,” Gavin said, tugging at his own miniature No. 5 jersey while Garnett himself carried the championship trophy on his duck boat.

At the start of the rally, construction workers across Causeway Street from the Garden looked down from openings in a building where windows will go. Other onlookers stood on fire escapes. Confetti cannons shot green and white paper into the air as workers stood by with brooms ready to clear them away once the parade passed.

As the duck boats pulled out of the parking lot, Bob Messina watched in his powder blue Larry Bird No. 33 Indiana State jersey. Now 37, Messina remembers the 1986 celebration at City Hall Plaza.

“I just remember Larry Bird and his curly blond hair,” he said. “I’ll never forget it as long as I live. To be here now that I’m a little bit older, I could die a happy man.”

Thursday’s rolling rally didn’t make any stops, but fans saw Pierce, Garnett, James Posey, Leon Powe and Sam Cassell chomping on stogies. And they saw 289-pound rookie Glen “Big Baby” Davis travel along the route topless, showing that not all his baby fat was gone.

Meredith Heijl, 20-year-old student from Boston was so excited to see them pass, she broke her green flip flop trying to take Pierce’s picture.

“That was the highlight of my year,” she joked, even though he didn’t wave in her direction.

Many adults at the parade were struck by the youth of the crowd.

“I think the Celtics have a new following that’s more the early 20s crowd,” said Alan Sprinsky, 55, of Braintree, who surveyed the scene from a lawn chair in front of the St. Paul’s Cathedral on Tremont Street. “I bet there’s not too many kids in school today.”

The weather helped the turnout that was 20 to 30 people deep at spots. The Red Sox celebrated in November and the Patriots in February, but the Celtics parade took place under sunny, late-spring skies that allowed the crowd to leave the winter coats at home and come out in shorts and T-shirts.

Before the rally, Celtics managing partner Irv Grousbeck unfurled a 2008 championship banner, a replica of the one that will hang from the rafters. “The first of several, we hope,” he said in a Garden hallway. Rivers commissioned the new banners for owners and players.

Co-owner Wyc Grousbeck, Irv’s son, got a congratulatory call from President Bush on Wednesday. On Thursday, the younger Grousbeck thanked fans.

“I would say you guys made it happen,” he said. “There was no way the Lakers could win when they stepped on the floor in Game 6 with the electricity in the building. I know who won the game, and it was actually the fans.”

And a bunch of cigar-puffing, trophy-toting athletes who took one last journey together before a new banner is hung next to the other 16.