www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081124/SPORTS/811240356/-1/SPORTSFREE THROWS: KG has rivals green with envy
November 24, 2008 6:00 AM
It goes without saying that when a team wins a championship, its grows a large target on its back. But the Boston Celtics are not just the target of everyone else's best game, but also the target for the worst of players' personalities. Trash talk, pushing and shoving and general all-around dislike just come with the territory of defending a title.
But if you listen to some of the other teams, it's the Celtics that are the instigators, not the other way around.
"That's how Boston plays," said Jamal Crawford, who played against the Celtics on Tuesday as a Knick before being traded to Golden State on Friday. "They play with that, I guess you could call it, swagger."
New York's Quentin Richardson took it even further, noting that the Celtics feel a sense of entitlement because of their title.
"I think a few of those guys know they can't just say anything to us," Richardson said. "I'm just real curious to see what those guys will be saying if we weren't in a basketball league, and didn't have referees. I mean, it wouldn't be the same story. They are the world champions and rah-rah-rah, but the tough part, I don't factor.
"I come from a neighborhood where you can say what you want to say, but 'til you do something, it don't mean nothing. Some of those guys are happy to get a ring, but you ain't been in the league long enough to talk to people like that."
And of course, the Knicks didn't have even have to contend against ultra-intense Kevin Garnett that particular night, because he was serving a one-game suspension for hitting Milwaukee's Andrew Bogut in the face on the previous Saturday night. The NBA deemed the hit a "punch," even though it was really nothing more than a dope slap to the forehead at worst, and in reality was nothing more than a physical reaction to Bogut coming down on Garnett after a shot attempt.
"I was just surprised ... I thought it was a ridiculous suspension," Celts coach Doc Rivers said. "Clearly, he's not a good fighter if that's a punch, but it is what it is."
In fact, there is a rumbling in the league about Garnett, that perhaps his intensity needs to be closely examined by league officials. Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News offered up on Sunday that "several teams" have been "complaining about Garnett's antics in recent weeks" and that "the league has taken note." Lawrence cites one unnamed executive as calling Garnett "an instigator," and he suggests KG has been "going after smaller guys, like Toronto's Jose Calderon and Milwaukee's Luke Ridnour."
The Calderon incident came in a game in Boston on Nov. 11, when Garnett wagged his finger in Calderon's face.
"Kevin's just verbal," Rivers told reporters. "But he's been verbal his whole career. But he plays that way. So, you let Kevin be Kevin. The last thing I would do is ask Kevin to change. You don't want to change his way."
And Rivers also feels that Garnett's intensity is something he wants the Celtics' younger players to embrace and adapt.
"Kevin's just a pro, he really is. Not only composure-wise, but the standard he sets in our locker room every day," Rivers said. "If the young guys don't pick up a little of that, they're blind, or they're never going to be good players."
So are the Celtics really instigators, or has their success just bred jealousy and sour grapes in the opposition? Sometimes, it's all just a matter of perspective. And the view from the top is usually the most accurate one.
'BIG SHOT ROB' LONGSHOT FOR BOSTON
Marc Stein's Daily Dime on ESPN.com is always a must-read for basketball fans, as he breaks down each night's action in the NBA. However, Celtics fans should pay close attention to the interview he conducted with free agent Robert Horry last week.
Stein asked Horry if he had plans to come back to the league, if Boston might one of his potential stops. Horry acknowledged that Celts guard Sam Cassell has been trying to get him to join the Celts late in the year, much as P.J. Brown did last season.
"Sam actually called me about a month ago," Horry told Stein. "I was down in San Diego training, just trying to do something to stay in shape. Sam said: 'I talked to Doc. He's thinking about bringing you in at the end of the season, so make sure you stay in shape.' I said, 'That's fine about Doc, but who is that GM in Boston?' I don't think that's gonna work out."
For those unfamiliar, Horry has a long and unhappy history with Celtics GM Danny Ainge. Back when Horry was traded from Houston to Phoenix, Ainge was the Suns' head coach. After he pulled Horry from a game, Horry responded by throwing a towel in Ainge's face on live television. Not surprisingly, he was traded after the season to Los Angeles, where he went on to win three titles with the Lakers.
It would be crazy that if Horry did want to play and the Celtics were an option, he'd let that stand in his way. But then again, a player with seven championship rings usually gets to call his own shots anyway.
KNICKS PLANNING AHEAD
In a time of economic turmoil, it's refreshing to see a major sports team exercising sound fiscal planning. And, believe it or not, it's the New York Knicks, they of the league's highest payroll.
The two trades made by the Knicks on Friday are clear indication they plan on making a run toward LeBron James and the other studs that will be available in the summer of 2010. By sending Jamal Crawford to Golden State and Zach Randolph to the Clippers, the Knicks cleared more than $27 million off the books for that golden summer.
As it stands right now, New York will have just a little more than $5 million in team options on Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler, and about $18 million in player options to Eddy Curry and Jarred Jeffries. That leaves plenty of available funds to go after not just James but also other big-time free agents that summer, including Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Yao Ming, Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki and even, possibly, Kobe Bryant. Judging on this year's cap of better than $58 million, Donnie Walsh could be doing a lot of shopping that summer.
Tim Weisberg covers the NBA for The Standard-Times. Contact him at timweisberg@hotmail.com
HOT
BUSINESS AMONG FRIENDS
Talk about helping your old boss out of a tough spot. Chris Mullin, the Golden State GM who once played for the Donnie Walsh-run Pacers, did Walsh a big favor when he took Jamal Crawford's salary off the Knicks' hands. Then, Mike Dunleavy, the Clippers coach who once played for Walsh at South Carolina, took Zach Randolph. There are even rumors that Mullin is leaving after this season and will work for Walsh in New York when they make their run at LeBron James.
VINCE GETS VENGEANCE
Former Raptor Vince Carter always has a little added motivation when his Nets travel to Toronto, but what he did on Friday night can only be described as revenge over the team that traded him away. First, he hit a game-tying three as time expired in regulation. Then, his slam in the closing moments of overtime sealed the win, as the former 'Air Canada' scored 39 points.
YOU GOT RONDO'D
Since scoring just two points in back-to-back games, Boston's Rajon Rondo has averaged just over 15 points per game in his last three contests. But don't think he's looking to score first and is forgetting his distribution duties "” Rondo has also averaged nearly seven dimes per game as well.
NOT
MARBURY WON'T DRESS
After the two big trades, the Knicks were left short-handed for a game Friday night against the Bucks. Although he was promised 30-35 minutes of playing time, bench warmer Stephon Marbury chose not to suit up when asked by coach Mike D'Antoni.
CUBAN SANDWICHED BY SEC
A civil suit was filed against Mavericks owner Mark Cuban by the Securities and Exchange Commission, accusing the dot-com billionaire of using insider tips to bail out of an investment that would have cost him $750,000 in losses. Apparently, he sold his shares of Mamma.com before the value became diluted. Kind of what he should be doing with his 6-7 Mavs.
CARLESIMO FIRED
His players had clearly given up on him, so it's no surprise the Thunder fired coach P.J. Carlesimo. Young stars on the rise like Kevin Durant and Jeff Green need proper fostering, and if Carlesimo had already lost them, he would have done more harm than good if he stuck around. Maybe Latrell Sprewell was on to something about this guy?
