On Friday the Boston Celtics (46-13) will return to the TD BankNorth Garden to take on the Indiana Pacers (25-35). It has been nearly three weeks since the Celtics played on their home court, and since then a lot has changed:

• February 13-15: Big Three participate in All-Star Weekend
• February 17: Sam Cassell traded to the Sacramento Kings
• February 19 (day): Patrick O’Bryant traded to the Toronto Raptors
• February 19 (night): Kevin Garnett strains right knee; Celtics lose 90-85 to Utah Jazz
• February 22: Rajon Rondo celebrates 23rd birthday with 32 points in 128-108 win over Phoenix Suns
• February 23: Brian Scalabrine suffers cervical strain; Celtics beat Denver Nuggets 114-76
• February: 24: Stephon Marbury is bought out by the New York Knicks; Mikki Moore signs with the Celtics
• February 25: Moore debuts; Paul Pierce dislocates right thumb; Celtics lose 93-91 to Los Angeles Clippers
• February 26: Gabe Pruitt is arrested in LA for suspicion of DUI; Marbury tells New York Times he will sign with Celtics and be in uniform on February 27

The actual game between the Celtics and Pacers is overshadowed by the question of whether or not Marbury will be a Celtic prior to tip off. While the Celtics may make an addition, both teams are shorthanded. Garnett (knee), Tony Allen (thumb), and Brian Scalabrine (neck) are unavailable for the Celtics. Danny Granger (foot) and Mike Dunleavy (knee) will not play for the Pacers. The Celtics are 2-1 since losing Garnett. The Pacers are 3-1 without Granger.

Tip-off is at 7:30 EST.

Kevin Garnett’s injury could have created a window of opportunity for the Cleveland Cavaliers to pull ahead in the Eastern Conference. But now they too are down a starter. On Thursday night forward Ben Wallace broke his right leg during a 19-point loss the Houston Rockets. TNT’s David Aldridge reported Wallace will miss 8-10 weeks.

This injury is a blow to the Cavaliers front court. Wallace, 34, is one of the most experienced players on the team. Instead of having his veteran leadership down the stretch, the Cavaliers will have to rely on J.J. Hickson to step up in his rookie season. Wallace was averaging 6.7 rebounds, 3.0 points, and 24.3 minutes per game this season. Hickson is averaging 4.5 points and 2.9 boards in 12.2 minutes per game.

The Celtics will play the Cavaliers next Friday, March 6 in Boston.

On Tuesday the Boston Celtics signed free agent big man Mikki Moore. In just a matter of days since being waived by the Sacramento Kings, he had become one of the hottest players on the market. But it wasn’t that long ago that Moore was known for being a journeyman rather than a contributor on a championship-defending team. So who is Mikki Moore?

Full name: Clinton Renard Moore

Born: November 4, 1975

Hometown: Orangeburg, South Carolina

High School: Blacksburg HS, Blacksburg, SC
(Fast Fact: Celtics guard Ray Allen attended Hillcrest HS in Dalzell, SC. Moore and Allen are two of six players currently in the NBA to attend high school in that state.)

College: University of Nebraska (1997)

What’s in a name? The nickname Mikki (pronounced “Mikey”) was given to Moore as a kid because he liked to eat Life cereal. He also goes by “Snake” for his love of reptiles.
(Fast fact: Former Celtic James Posey goes by the nickname “Mike” to his friends and family)

He looks familiar: Moore signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics in 2003. He picked up six fouls in three games, but never scored a basket.

League leader: In 2007, Moore led the league in field goal percentage (.609). The following season he led the league in personal fouls (310).
(Fast fact: Former Celtics center Robert Parish was called for 310 fouls in the 1981 season. He only ranked 10th in the NBA.)

Lucky # 7: Moore will be the first player to wear number seven since Al Jefferson. Tom Gugliotta wore it prior to Big Al in 2005.

Lending a helping hand: Moore’s goal is to touch every community he plays in. He founded the Moore Love Foundation in his home state of South Carolina and bussed 600 children to a Charlotte Bobcats game. As a member of the Detroit Pistons, Moore helped knock down and rebuild homes in drug-infested neighborhoods. He also distributed Thanksgiving turkeys with the Utah Jazz, among other initiatives.

Moore’s Road (Back) to Boston

• June, 1997: Undrafted in NBA Draft
• September 30, 1997: Signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Timberwolves
• October 28, 1997: Waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves
• 1998-99: Played nine games for Papagou of the Greek League
• 1998-99: Played remainder of the season for the Fort Wayne Fury of the Continental Basketball Association
• January 21, 1999: Signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Timberwolves
• January 27, 1999: Waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves
• January 29, 1999: Signed as a free agent by the Detroit Pistons
• February 18, 1999: Waived by the Detroit Pistons
• October 5, 1999: Signed as a free agent by the Detroit Pistons
• August 5, 2002: Waived by the Detroit Pistons
• October 3, 2002: Signed as a free agent by the San Antonio Spurs
• October 24, 2002: Waived by the San Antonio Spurs
• 2002-03, 2003-04: Played for the Roanoke Dazzle of the NBA Development League
• January 6, 2003: Signed by the Boston Celtics to a 10-day contract
• April 14, 2003: Signed by the Atlanta Hawks for the remainder of the season
• September 27, 2003: Signed as a free agent by the Seattle SuperSonics
• October 21, 2003: Waived by the Seattle SuperSonics
• December 22, 2003: Signed as a free agent by the New Jersey Nets
• January 7, 2004: Waived by the New Jersey Nets
• January 28, 2004: Signed by the Utah Jazz to the first of two consecutive 10-day contracts
• March 4, 2004: Signed by the Utah Jazz for the remainder of the season
• August 20, 2004: Signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Clippers
• August 31, 2005: Signed as a free agent by the Seattle SuperSonics
• July 7, 2006: Traded by the Seattle SuperSonics to the New Jersey Nets in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft
• July 13, 2007: Signed as a free agent by the Sacramento Kings
• February 19, 2009: Waived by Sacramento Kings
• February 24, 2009: Signed as a free agent by the Boston Celtics

Shaquille O’Neal was supposed to be a problem for the Boston Celtics. He was supposed to push around their little big men and have the Celtics counting down the days until Kevin Garnett returned from his knee injury. But it was one of the smallest guys on the court who caused the biggest problems. Led by Rajon Rondo, the Celtics backcourt dominated the Phoenix Suns. (RECAP HERE)

No jumper? Rondo scored a career-high 32 points against the Suns. (ESPN.com)

Rajon Rondo
32 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, 13-18 FG, 1-1 3PG, 5-9 FT, 3 STL

On his 23rd birthday, Rondo made 35-year-old Steve Nash look about ten years older. The Suns had no way of stopping Rondo, not even O’Neal’s presence made a difference — Rondo scored however and from wherever he pleased. The absence of Garnett creates more opportunities for him to take his jumpshot, and judging by his shot chart, there is little need to question whether or not he has developed one.

Ray Allen
31 points, 4 rebounds, 10-15 FG, 4-8 3PG, 7-8 FT

It’s no secret that Allen can’t be left alone on the arc. On Sunday he couldn’t be left alone, period. Allen spread the Suns defense with a balanced attack of long and mid-range shots. Allen was on his mark, hitting 10 field goals and scoring 30 points for the first time since January 11 against the Toronto Raptors. He also set a new franchise record with 72 consecutive free throws made, passing Larry Bird’s previous mark of 71.

Paul Pierce
26 points, 6 rebounds, 8-17 FG, 10-10 FT

The Celtics couldn’t score 128 points without Pierce making an impact. Pierce struggled in the first half (1-8 FG), so when his shot didn’t fall he got to the line (6-6 FT). Then he turned it on in the second half to score 18 points in 22 minutes. The captain played a team-high 44 minutes and by the end of the game had gone to the line 10 times. The Celtics improved to 12-3 when Pierce attempts at least 10 free throws.

The Celtics will travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Monday night.

According to Marc Spears of the Boston Globe, Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge has said Kevin Garnett will miss 2-3 weeks with a posterior muscle strain of the right knee. Garnett left the court hobbling during Thursday’s loss to the Utah Jazz. Ainge told the Globe, “Rest and ice for KG.”

It turns out Patrick O’Bryant wasn’t ready to play. Not for the Boston Celtics, at least.

“I feel like I’m pretty ready,” he said prior to the All-Star Break. “I never feel like I’m not ready, I don’t want to get down on myself. But I feel like I’m ready. In Doc’s eyes I might not be, so I’ve just got to take his advice and keep pushing forward.”

The Celtics echoed head coach Doc Rivers’ opinion when they traded O’Bryant to the Toronto Raptors on Thursday as part of a three-team deal with the Sacramento Kings.

In spite of being a big man on a team in need of length, O’Bryant averaged just 4.2 minutes in 26 games this season (less playing time than everyone on the Celtics except for Sam Cassell and J.R. Giddens). Last summer an informed source questioned if O’Bryant would be able to shake his two-guard mentality in a seven-foot frame. His defensive abilities continued to be a cause for concern.

“He’s been stressing Celtics D,” O’Bryant said of Rivers. “It’s different than any other team’s expectations. They’re a championship team and you’ve got to be able to play at a championship level.”

O’Bryant was looking forward to growing as a shot blocker and rebounder in the second half of the season. He was eager to back up Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins off the bench. Now he can try to do the same for Chris Bosh.

When the Boston Celtics face the Phoenix Suns on Sunday, Kevin Garnett will not be the only big man out of the game. Suns power forward Amar’e Stoudemire underwent successful eye surgery today and could miss eight weeks, according to multiple reports. Stoudemire suffered a partially detached retina in Wednesday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers. ESPN has reported Garnett will return to Boston today for an MRI after straining his right knee during Thursday’s loss to the Utah Jazz.