It was speculated prior to the playoffs, but it was clear after seeing Chicago Bulls rookie Derrick Rose carve up Boston for 36 points and 11 assists in a 105-103 overtime victory in Game 1 of the first-round playoff series.

Without Kevin Garnett, the Celtics are just your typical run-of-the-mill playoff team.

The Celtics missed KG for his leadership, defensive presence, rebounding, scoring and intensity.

His numbers this season appeared somewhat pedestrian — 15.8 points and 8.5 rebounds — but his impact, even if he is playing at far less than 100 percent, cannot be overstated.

It means opponents are able to devote nearly all their attention to trying to contain Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, and with Allen unable to make a shot (actually, he made 1-of-12), Boston hardly appears as a team capable of defending its title.

"Of course they are going to be different without him (Garnett), but you still have to respect them," Bulls forward Tyrus Thomas said. "All those guys know what it takes."

You can know what it takes all you want, but if you don't have the ammunition, it doesn't matter.

The Celtics look like a team that will struggle just to get past the first round against this young Bulls team that is playing completely different since a couple of mid-February trades.

Rose played on a level that even his teammates hadn't seen before. He tied Lew Alcindor's rookie playoff record with 36 points in his first postseason game.

"That's the best he's played all year," Thomas said. "That's as aggressive as I've ever seen him."

Said Chicago big man Joakim Noah of the road win to open the series: "Three months ago I don't think anyone would have believed this scenario ever would have happened."

It wouldn't have — if Garnett's knee wasn't keeping him off the court.

The Celtics did come out flat and listless in the first half.

Remember, this is a Celtics team that could always count on winning home playoff games last season, no matter how much they struggled away from the new Garden.

But now they have already lost home-court advantage after just one game to the Bulls.

And Garnett isn't coming back anytime soon.

In fact, Celtics coach Doc Rivers has basically ruled out his return for the remainder of the playoffs. Garnett sat on the bench in street clothes for the first half, but was nowhere to be seen after the team came back out of the locker room trailing, 53-44.

"Kevin is not playing in this playoffs," Rivers said following the loss. "I'm not answering Kevin Garnett questions."

Pierce and Allen scored a total of eight points in the first half, but young point guard Rajon Rondo kept Boston in the game. Pierce got going in the second half, but missed a huge free throw with 2.6 seconds left in regulation that would have given the Celtics a one-point lead.

Instead, the game went into overtime and Allen missed his 11th shot of the game with 1.5 seconds left — a 17-footer that would have forced a second overtime.

Rondo nearly held his own in the head-to-head battle with Rose in a matchup of two of the top young floor leaders in the league, finishing with 29 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

But Chicago had five guys in double figures, and Rose was able to penetrate the lane and finish around the basket without having to worry about dealing with the length and shot-blocking ability of Garnett.

Chicago looked fresh at the end of the game, while the Celtics appeared tired, old and even selfish — with the world champions rarely making the extra pass.

"We can't just show up and think that because we're the Boston Celtics, that everything is going to be good," Rivers said.

"I hope this is a wake-up call," Pierce added.

Waking up would be nice, but it won't matter as long as Garnett doesn't return.