Avery Bradley, Kevin MArtin

Boston Celtics' Avery Bradley, left, keeps control of the ball as he is grabbed by Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Martin during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 22, 2016, in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves won 124-122.

(AP Photo/Jim Mone)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Even after a last-second loss, a grin lit up Avery Bradley's face. The Boston Celtics failed to knock off the Minnesota Timberwolves, but Bradley still accomplished one of his goals Monday night.

Before walking toward the Celtics bus, the shooting guard stopped for a moment in the Target Center hallway. Standing still, he could show off a brand new autographed jersey from his former teammate, Kevin Garnett.

"I had to," Bradley said.

Soon he will frame the jersey and put it in his office, where it will hang in a shrine commemorating the Celtics team from his rookie year.

"I have everybody's jersey," Bradley said. "I have Paul (Pierce). I have KG now. I have (Rajon) Rondo. I have Ray Allen. And I have Jermaine O'Neal."

Among those guys, Garnett stands out. Garnett always stands out, even when he's sitting in street clothes at the end of the Timberwolves bench, as he did Monday night, delivering instructions to his younger teammates. If the 39-year-old decides to retire at the end of this season, a possibility, he has already played the Celtics for the last time. He missed his 12th straight game Monday night.

Before the Celtics' 124-122 loss, Bradley reflected on Garnett's famous pregame focus.

No music

In the visitor's locker room at the Target Center, Kanye West's "No More Parties in L.A." bounced off the walls, perhaps helping some of the Celtics prepare for their meeting with Minnesota.

As the music played, Bradley laughed, knowing the most accomplished player on the Timberwolves would not appreciate all the noise. Explaining how this year's Celtics locker room would be different with Garnett in it, Bradley smiled, "Music wouldn't be playing or anything."

"I'm not going to say people aren't focused (now)," Bradley said. "I'm a believer in everybody prepares for the game in different ways. But one of the things Kevin did was have everybody prepare like Kevin, I guess you could say."

What is preparing like Kevin?

"He was just locked in," Bradley said. "He had the same expression from the time he walked through the door until game time. It was, like, a serious look. He'd have some days he'd come in and you could get him to smile, and he might be a little more relaxed. But Kevin was always prepared. It's crazy, every single game. But I guess that's what makes him so great.

"I really didn't talk much either (as a rookie). But I just respected it so much. Those are things you try to pick up. I tried to but it's not really my personality. Like I said, everybody prepares differently, and I think him preparing like that really got him mentally into the game. No distractions at all. That's what made him great. Layup line, everything was the same. And everybody knows in life, even outside of basketball, when you can be consistent in things you're usually successful. And that's what KG did. Same routine every single time."

When would he snap out of his zone?

"After the game," Bradley said. "If we won."

Life lessons with KG

Garnett didn't just patrol the locker room, forcing everyone to prepare in silence.

"He used to literally sit me down like I was his little brother," Bradley said. "Like, 'Make sure you're saving your money, make sure you're doing this, make sure you're doing that.' All those things as far as helping the younger guys out, he used to always stress that to me, like, make sure that you're doing the same thing that I'm doing for you. That's what the NBA's about. He wouldn't say it but I know he did it for those who were open to wanting to learn or whatever. But that's one of the things he would always tell me."

Garnett also bought Bradley his first suit in the NBA.

"It was custom, I don't remember what brand," Bradley said. "I remember he (and then-Celtics assistant Tyronn Lue) got me fitted for it and everything. (Garnett) bought me and Luke Harangody a couple suits.

"KG does stuff for you that you remember. Not just one of those things that are just small. Everything he does it's like he does it so you remember that Kevin was in your life."

More accepting as he grew older

During his third and final season with Garnett, Bradley said the future Hall of Famer actually relaxed a little bit.

"Age, probably," Bradley guessed. "I don't know."

"He would just walk in and laugh sometimes at us," the Celtics guard continued. "We'd be dancing or joking and it would put a smile on his face I guess. He would look at us like his little brothers. Like, me, Rondo, we would just be dancing and laughing and joking before the game. I remember he used to always say, 'Man, y'all crazy, man.' We'd be blasting music before the game."

After one pregame dance party, the Celtics proceeded to lose, erasing the smile from Garnett's face.

As Bradley remembered, "He said, 'See, y'all need to lock in before the game.'"

Knowing Garnett, he probably used harsher language than that.

"That's Ticket," Bradley said. "Everybody knows if you could crack a smile out of Kevin before the game, it's a good day. He's so locked in when he walks through the door, but if you could get a smile out of him, everybody's more relaxed and it's just cool. Guys would love that, or we'd be talking about stuff before the game while he's getting stretched. All those good memories, man."

As for the signed jersey, Garnett did not just write his name. Let's just say his message included a bit of colorful language. It is not appropriate to publish in this space, but should always force Bradley to remember Kevin was in his life.