NEWPORT – The Boston Celtics opened their second consecutive training camp at the Rodgers Recreation Center at Salve Regina University yesterday.

The Celtics will be in town all week but practices are closed to the public.

Boston coach Doc Rivers said that he likes visiting Salve Regina University for the entire week because it provides a good bonding experience for the team.

"It's great," Rivers said. "It's a great location for us. We have our fans here and it's close enough to home but far enough away. The setup is perfect and so we like it. That's why we are back."

"It's cool," Celtics center Kevin Garnett said. "It's very tranquil with the water. It's peaceful."

With all of the new faces on the team this year, Rivers said that it is good for them to get away from their families for a week and get to know one another better.

"I think it is nice when you remove families and everything and let them commingle with each other," Rivers said. "I think that is really important. We have two West Coast trips and this and these are the longest times that we are together and I think it's good for the team."

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Rivers said that he was cautious with Garnett in the Celtics first official practice of the season yesterday, keeping him out of the team practice drills about 75 percent of the time.

"He looked great," Rivers said of Garnett's play when he was in on drills. "I took him out for about 75 percent of the practice and I just told him to sit down. He didn't like that obviously. But I just think we are going to be together hopefully till mid-June so there is no reason to wear him out right now."

Garnett, however, laughed when he heard that Rivers said he took it easy on him. He was exhausted after practice.

"Everything went well today," Garnett said. "I thought Doc was trying to kill me for a little bit but it was the first day of camp and me being it my 15th and everything, it went well. It was fun to get back out there with the guys, go through the drills and just compete."

While Garnett participated in only 25 percent of the team drills, Rivers said that he could tell the difference in everyone's attitude when he was on the floor because of his vocal leadership.

"When he's on the floor you know he's on the floor and that makes a difference with everybody," Rivers said. "I think everybody sees that and feels that."

Rivers held him back because when Garnett was on the floor, he went 100 percent and he didn't want him to get hurt.

"I thought he was impressive," Rivers said. "I struggled getting him off of the floor because he didn't want to get off of the floor but again, there is no rush with him."

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Glen Davis took Garnett's place with the starters when he was not in the lineup.

Boston's second unit consisted of Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels, Brian Scalabrine, Eddie House, and Sheldon Williams during the media portion of practice – the last 15 minutes. Davis will take either Williams or Scalabrine's spot on the second unit when Garnett starts.

Rivers said that the goal for the second unit when they get into the game is to maintain the lead when the Celtics have it and increase it.

"The biggest thing that stood out to me today was the second unit," Rivers said.

"It's good for the first team because the competition that we are playing against is like playing against another starting five," Garnett said. "I like our team a lot."

Daniels played point 75 percent of the time with the second unit and House played shooting guard.

"I want the second unit to have their own identity," Rivers said. "I want them to feel when they come on the floor that they are going to stretch the lead. Even when they were on the floor in practice against the first unit that they feel they can stretch the lead."

"With the additions we made this summer, our second unit is definitely better, without a doubt," Rondo said. "If we are down, they can go get the lead or increase it."

Williams, Lester Hudson, Michael Sweetney, Bill Walker, and J.R. Giddens made up the third team during the media portion of practice.

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Celtics backup guard Tony Allen had surgery on his right ankle in June, and he is still recovering from it.

Boston coach Doc Rivers held him out of team practice, but he did do some drills on the side.

"His foot is still bothering him," Rivers said. "Unless he's 100 percent, I'm not going to put him out on the floor. He did stuff on the side."

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With the rise of athletes using Twitter and other social media outlets, the NFL has banned all social media activity by its players and team personnel both during and 90 minutes before and after each game.

The NBA is also expected to announce a social media activity policy in the near future and they are expected to ban the use during games as well.

Rivers likes that idea.

"I'm glad the league is doing it," Rivers said. "You have free speech, the way I look at it, but you have to use common sense and some of these things, the guys have to use common sense…For me that is an easy rule for the league to pass."

roblee@projo.com