Kevin Garnett will miss Saturday’s game against Charlotte with a left groin strain. (AP)

Celtics head coach Doc Rivers ruled out Kevin Garnett for Saturday night’s game against the Bobcats with a lower left adductor strain.

“He wasn’t moving well in practice [Friday],” Rivers said in announcing his absence from the lineup Saturday night. Rivers did not immediately announce the nature of the injury, deferring to head trainer Ed Lacerte.

Lacerte and the Celtics later officially announced the diagnosis of adductor (groin) strain in his left leg.

Rivers said he did not know Garnett’s availability for Monday’s marquee matchup with LeBron James and the Miami Heat at TD Garden.

Jeff Green, as he did for Paul Pierce on Tuesday in Charlotte, takes Garnett’s place in the lineup. The Celtics will go very small in the lineup, with Brandon Bass representing their biggest player among the starting five.

Pierce, Avery Bradley and Courtney Lee also start for the Celtics, who were blown out by the Bobcats, 100-74, on Tuesday in Charlotte.

For more, visit the Celtics team page at weei.com/celtics.