Garnett Is Named Defensive Player of the Year

For all his assets -- athleticism, intensity, intelligence -- it's Kevin Garnett's ability to communicate with teammates that he considers the key to the Celtics' skill at shutting down opponents.

"I talk. I understand how defense works," he said after being selected the NBA defensive player of the year yesterday. "Communication's probably the biggest thing when it comes to defense."

An outstanding defender throughout his previous 12 seasons, all with the Timberwolves, Garnett won the league award for the first time by a wide margin, one day before Boston takes a 1-0 lead into Game 2 of the first-round series against the Hawks.

He had 90 of the 124 first-place votes and a total of 493 points. Marcus Camby of the Nuggets, last year's winner, was second with 12 first-place votes and 178 points, just edging Shane Battier of the Rockets, who received 11 first-place votes and 175 points.

The long-armed, 6-foot-11 forward is the major factor behind the Celtics' climb from a mediocre defensive team to one of the best. They held opponents to an NBA-low 41.9 field goal percentage. And they allowed just 90.3 points per game, second fewest in the league, after giving up 99.2 last season.

· SIXTH MAN AWARD: Spurs G Manu Ginóbili won the NBA's sixth man award, given to the league's best reserve. Ginóbili led the Spurs in scoring, averaging a career-high 19.5 points with 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists. Ginóbili came off the bench in 51 of the 74 games he played.

· NO SALE?: Former SuperSonics owner Howard Schultz filed suit to undo his sale of the team to an Oklahoma City-based group led by Clay Bennett, saying Bennett lied to him by insisting he planned to keep the NBA franchise in Seattle.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, seeks to deprive Bennett's group of "the fruits of its deception" by rescinding the sale, and described Bennett's actions as "fraud."

Starbucks Corp. Chairman Schultz is asking a judge to hold the team in trust until an "honest buyer" can be found who will keep the team in Seattle.

-- From News Services