Twenty-one years to the day after The Kid made his NBA debut, Kevin Garnett arrived on another stage Thursday night.

Dressed casually in jeans and a black T-shirt, Garnett made his first appearance as a member of the NBA on TNT crew before the start of Thursday's doubleheader. Lounging in leather chairs in a lair known as "Area 21," he and special guest Rasheed Wallace appeared during breaks in the on-court action and then for an extended segment after the games.

"We only have one rule," Garnett said of "Area 21," set up with a basketball hoop, framed jerseys, bobbleheads, four TVs and a tiger skin rug. "Keep it real."

And they did. Garnett and Wallace showed no hesitation in front of the cameras. They discussed the development of NBA super teams, the rise of Tyronn Lue as a player's coach, critiqued players' wardrobes and took turns breaking down the night's marquee Oklahoma City/Golden State game.

BRIAN STENSAAS