Kevin Garnett says that his surgically repaired right knee is fully healed and that he is pain free.

With a little strength and conditioning, he will be as good as new.

Or at least, that’s what he wants you to believe. During the media portion of practices and during the Celtics intra-squad scrimmage on Saturday in Newport, Garnett ran with a limp.

Boston coach Doc Rivers said that Garnett has a slight limp because he is battling shin splints and has pain in his calves.

When asked how he thought his first week of practice since recovering from his knee surgery had gone, Garnett said: “Actually better than I expected. I anticipated it to be a lot more sore. I had my days, and sitting and talking to other guys, they were just as sore as I was, so I kind of felt at home.

“To be honest with everybody here, I’m not even thinking about the injury when I’m playing. I do all my stuff that I’m supposed to do. I don’t play around with my workouts. Even when I’m in my room, I do the calisthenics that I’m supposed to do. I get my proper treatment. It’s all prevention.”

Garnett, who sat out 75 percent of the team drills on the opening day of training camp, said he feels like he has improved each day since then. He has participated in almost all of the team drills since the first day.

“Things I couldn’t do four or five days ago, I can do today,” Garnett said. “We were in a drill doing some live stuff, five-on-five stuff, and some of the moves and the cuts with the ball and me stepping back and pushing off, I couldn’t do about four to five, or seven days ago. Every day I’m getting stronger. Every day I’m getting better.

“I don’t have knee problems. The things that are bothering me are secondary. I’m pretty excited about that, because it ain’t nothing but strengthening and playing. You’ve got to remember, I’ve been out since March and haven’t done anything since then, just strengthening. Nothing simulates basketball play, the pounding, the turning, the reactions. The stuff you have to react to in games, you can’t get that through the rehab or through the trainers.”

Rivers said he’s optimistic that Garnett will be fine this season.

“When you come back from an injury, there is always something else that starts to bother you, so that’s bothering him a little bit, but other than that he played great,” Rivers told NBA TV. “What we noticed, he makes it about halfway through the practices and then his shins start bothering him a little bit. He tries to stay in practices but we try to get him off of the floor, but I’m very happy. He’s better than I thought he would be having missed this much time on the floor.”

“I feel really good, man,” Garnett said. “I wouldn’t [mess with] you guys or none of that. If I was hurting, I would tell you. I’m pretty straight up with everything going on, and I feel good.”

Mutual respect between Perkins, Wallace

Boston center Kendrick Perkins is glad that Rasheed Wallace joined the Celtics.

“I like playing with Rasheed,” Perkins said. “He’s a great passer. Obviously we know he can shoot. He’s got great post moves. Great defender. But really, I just wanted to see how he was outside of basketball, and he’s a great guy in the locker room, [his] personality is great and everything. He’s a great guy.”

The feeling is mutual.

“Perk’s not what I thought he would be,” Wallace said. “Perk’s a good cat, a good young guy, laid back, he’s out here working hard, out back lifting. That’s the kind of thing I like to see in a young player.”

Rivers says defense can be even better

The Celtics ranked among the top three teams in fewest points allowed and opponent’s field-goal percentage in each of the last two seasons.

Rivers said the Celtics have the potential to be even better on the defensive end this year.

“We want to be a great defensive team,” Rivers said on NBA TV. “We felt the last two years we have been. There’s another level that we can get to. … When you talk football and you [ask who is] the best defensive team to ever play, you think Chicago Bears. You think ’85 Bears. Well, we want to be in that argument some day.”

roblee@projo.com