Garnett beats old team

In his first game against his former team, Kevin Garnett had nine points, six rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots in 28 minutes of the Boston Celtics’ 92-81 preseason victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at London’s 02 Arena.

Garnett played 12 years with Minnesota before being traded to Boston last summer.

“The past is the past,” Garnett said. “This is a new chapter in my life.”

It seems Ricky Davis hasn’t forgotten his old teammate.

“It was definitely a different experience seeing Kevin in green,” said Davis. “I almost threw him the ball once, but then I saw that green jersey.”

Commissioner David Stern still isn’t ready to talk in detail about Isiah Thomas’ sexual harassment trial.

Stern, speaking in London before the Boston-Minnesota game, tried to avoid the issue by talking about previous comments he made on the subject.

“What I said then was that it was still under consideration,” Stern said. “That there were many issues having to do with understanding the transcript, understanding what exactly the jury did and what role a possible appeal should play in considering this. And I further said I wanted to discuss it with the board of governors.”

Thomas, a Hall of Fame player who is the president and coach of the New York Knicks, was found guilty earlier this month of sexually harassing former team executive Anucha Browne Sanders. A jury ordered the owners of the Knicks to pay $11.6 million to Browne Sanders.

Washington Wizards center Etan Thomas, 29, will have heart surgery today to repair a leak of the aortic valve after a routine physical revealed an abnormality at the start of camp. No timetable was given for his return.

Guard Allan Houston, 36, signed to rejoin the Knicks, two years after knee pain forced him to retire. . . . Seattle guard Luke Ridnour broke his nose in the SuperSonics’ preseason opener when he caught an elbow from Sacramento’s Ron Artest and will have to wear a mask for at least the next month.