MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Kevin Garnett's old home doesn't feel like home anymore.
On his most recent return to Target Center - he led Boston to a 92-90 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday night - Garnett was cheered wildly by the crowd, just like in the old days.
He delivered an all-around performance that was critical to victory, just like in the old days.
But as he looked around in his third trip to Minnesota since the Timberwolves traded him to the Celtics in 2007 - at the franchise he helped put on the map and the arena he practically helped build - it has never felt more foreign to him.
Almost everyone is gone from the KG era in Minnesota. Not one teammate remains from his final year in 2006-07. The architect - Kevin McHale, who drafted Garnett straight out of high school in 1995 - was ushered out this summer by owner Glen Taylor and new president of basketball operations David Kahn.
Kahn hired Lakers assistant Kurt Rambis to be the coach and made more than 20 offseason trades and roster moves to change the face of a wilting franchise.
Kahn's ambitious remodel has rendered the team, and the building, unrecognizable to the only star this franchise has ever had. He finally found a shred of familiarity in pregame warmups when he glanced toward the rafters to see the big No. 2 jersey still hanging in honor of his friend and former teammate Malik Sealy, who was killed in a car accident in 2000.
``The only thing that's (from the) past that I can take a glimpse of is the Malik banner up there. I took a minute to just look at it,'' Garnett said. ``But when it comes to the building, so many different changes here, it's not even the same tunnel. So there's so many different changes that I can't really relate to. So there's no need to dig into that part of it. Faces are different in the crowd.''
For better or worse, Garnett has always been a fiercely loyal person. When the Timberwolves decided to trade him after 12 seasons, there was a part of him that was deeply hurt to leave the city where he grew from a skinny 18-year-old boy into a man.
But all the changes since have made it much easier for Garnett to move on.
``I just try to embrace that and go forward and apply the things I've learned through my past to my future and move on,'' said Garnett after scoring 12 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and coming up with a big defensive stop to help the Celtics (6-0) stay undefeated.
The only significant franchise connection to Garnett that remains is Fred Hoiberg, a teammate of Garnett's who is now the vice president of basketball operations.
``He's corporate now,'' Garnett quipped.
The Timberwolves have moved on as well. They are one of the youngest teams in the league, with a bright future ahead of them thanks to abundant cap room, a bevy of draft picks and a talented young core featuring Al Jefferson, Kevin Love and Jonny Flynn.
``Yeah, that's old,'' Jefferson said of Garnett's influence here. ``Move on from that.''
In the end, Garnett got the best of his old team once more, improving to 5-0 against the Wolves and leaving knowing full well that the Minnesota chapter of his life is closed for good.
``I think with situations, you need to embrace them and embrace them fully, and look forward to them,'' Garnett said. ``The past is the past. You enjoy what happened in the past and you look forward to what's in your future.''
