WALTHAM, Mass. -- A collection of news and notes after the Boston Celtics practiced Sunday afternoon at the Sports Authority Training Center at HealthPoint:



Celtics forward Kevin Garnett participated fully in Sunday's practice and while coach Doc Rivers said it was likely he'll be in uniform for Monday's game against the Orlando Magic, Rivers stressed the team will wait to see how Garnett responds to the session before making a final decision on his status.

"I think Kevin will go [Monday], but again, we went through practice to see if he can play," said Rivers. "Meaning, we'll know after practice now. If he looks good, he'll go; if he doesn't, if there's anything, he will not go. I'd probably put it back to 50/50. He went up and down a little harder on purpose, just to see how his body felt. If he feels good, he'll play. If he doesn't, even if it's just a little, we'll keep him out."

Garnett has missed nine games after suffering a strained right calf in a loss to the Detroit Pistons on Dec. 29. He returned to the practice court Thursday, going through about half the team's session, but both Garnett and Rivers suggested he needed another session before diving back into game action.

The injury-depleted Celtics could use Garnett, especially with a fresh batch of bumps and bruises following Sunday's session.

Center Shaquille O'Neal suffered what the team termed a right adductor strain after slipping on some ice on his way to the team's practice facility. Meanwhile, Rivers said reserve swingman Marquis Daniels suffered a stinger in his back after running into a Kendrick Perkins screen and had to sit out the remainder of the session.

Both O'Neal and Daniels are day-to-day. Daniels got up some extra shots up after practice and deemed himself ready for Monday's contest.

"Perk welcomed me back," Daniels joked after Perkins returned to full-team, full-contact exercises (more on that below) and leveled him with a screen during 5-on-5 work. "I'm all right though."

Elsewhere on the injury front, reserve center Semih Erden told Rivers his groin pull is feeling better, but the coach said Erden still looked a bit hindered during practice.

--PERK PRACTICES, TARGETS RETURN ON FEB. 4--



The Celtics might have limped through the end of practice with only 10 available bodies, but the team got a fairly potent morale boost as its familiar starting five were reunited with both Garnett and Perkins back on the floor alongside Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.

"You could just see it with our first unit -- today was the first time this year we had our real first unit on the floor," said Rivers. "Offensively and defensively, it was just another level. They could run anything they wanted because everyone knew where everyone else was at."

Perkins admitted to being a little winded during his first full-team session since tearing his right ACL in Game 6 of the NBA Finals in June. He was just happy to be back alongside his teammates and, while joking he'd be ready to suit up for his injury-depleted team Monday, Perkins said he's targeting a return when the Dallas Mavericks visit the TD Garden on Feb. 4.

"I did pick a day, I want to come back on the Dallas game on Feb. [4], that's the target date," said Perkins. "I could probably come back before then, but I think we're on the road and I kind of want to make my first game at home."

Perkins looked so good that the Celtics might be tempted to move that date up. Fortunately, they have the luxury to exercise extreme caution with injuries, as exemplified by Garnett.

"Perk went through the whole practice," said Rivers. "Hell, he looked the best. I could make the case for playing him tomorrow as much as anybody. He won’t play, obviously, but this was the first day for Perk live and he was phenomenal."

Joked Perkins: "The coaches told me I might have to give them 15 minutes [Monday]. I could probably give them 25 and be alright."

--J.O'NEAL LEANING TOWARDS AVOIDING SURGERY?--

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said that center Jermaine O'Neal will meet with more specialists early this week for more opinions on his ailing left knee before making a final decision about surgery that has the potential to end not only his season, but possibly his career.

"I think we're leaning toward no surgery, obviously, if he wants to play," said Rivers. "But maybe someone will tell him he can do it and he'll be back in four weeks. That would be different."

Plagued by left knee soreness that has sidelined him for 22 games this season, O'Neal must decide whether to endure surgery with the goal of fixing the knee long term, a procedure that could wipe out the rest of his 2010-11 season, or play through the occasional swelling.

O'Neal talked at length about his knee woes before Friday's game. Read more HERE.