NBA keeping an eye on Garnett

[E20]

KG is a . He was a in Minneosta and now he is a bigger because he coattailed his way to a ring.

He'll yell and beat his chest at certain times, but won't play with the same passion and intensity during others. At best his is a 2nd rate PF when you compare him to great big men. He talks too much and he hasn't personally accomplished much, only his MVP. I wish he would focus his 'intensity and passion' on players his size instead of guards who are a foot shorter than him.

[timvp]

I can't believe the of contempt that has formed for KG over the past couple seasons.

Spurs fans have seen that contempt grow for a decade.

Make fun of his intensity and talking all you want, but just realize it ain't no act.

Him acting like a bad azz who puffs out his chest because he is the baddest MF on the court is certainly an act. Anytime anyone has ever stood up to him and challenged him on an NBA court, he finds a ref to hide behind.

Besides KG talking trash about Duncan dead mom, he's also tried to pick fights with both Parker in Ginobili. Both times Parker and Ginobili stood up to him and when chest to chest, KG backpedaled to find a ref to hide behind.

That's who Kevin Garnett is; since he was 18 ing years old... on the court, in practice, on the team plane, in the locker room and probably at home too. You think all the stories about him barely sleeping for days, or screaming at dudes during practice while busting their asses as hard as he can, or going to the gym at 3 AM to shoot after a bad game, or cheerleading from the sidelines are just manufactured stories made-up to make KG look intense?

A lot of it had to be made up. If he were always that intense, how did he not implode in his final couple years in "Sota" when they were a lottery team? Eventually he had to simmer down and accept losing. , he even came down with a couple end of the year phantom injuries so he could get a head start on vacation.

that, those all examples of a dude doing things, above and beyond what 99% of other players do, that help his team win.

Apparently wasn't helping enough in his final three years in Sota when he couldn't lead his team to the playoffs.

, just the other day I read some piece on Randy Foye where he was talking about how much of a step back his career has taken, directly because he no longer has KG's energy, encouragement or practice habits to feed off of.

Foye's main problem is that he sucks.

So I really don't get all the hatred for a guy who is as genuinely hard-working, team-oriented and compe ive as they come. Especially since he was universally loved and revered for it until he got on a good team. y'all.

KG wasn't universally loved and revered. Exaggeration.

All that said, I don't hate KG. In fact, if I got to pick one player to put next to Duncan on the Spurs, I'd probably pick KG because he's damn good at basketball and is one of the most intense players to ever play. I respect KG for playing hard and for his obvious love of the game. Plus he's been a very good ambassador for the NBA for a long while.

But it wouldn't be fair to ignore how his fake tough guy image can rub fans of other teams the wrong way. That part of his image is hugely fabricated and has been proven time and again. What kind of fugazy 7-footer picks on Luke Ridnour and Jose Calderon? And now that he has a ring, instead of eliminating that fake part of his personality, it seems to have enhanced it . . .

[balli]

Universally loved my ass... you a fan of that makes you a punk too

Maybe 'universally loved' was too strong of a expression, but if you really want to argue that KG has hadn't a fall from grace in recent years, then man, that's your prerogative. As is calling me a punk and flipping me off for stating a preference.

Oh and BTW asshole, I'm not a fan of KG at all. I don't root for him personally or Boston or Minnesota and I never have. But... I damn sure am a fan of the NBA, and in a league where intensity and hard work are scarce I'm not going to absolutely hate the guy because he gets demonstrative and starred in a dopey Gatorade commercial. Instead, I'm going to stick up for him and appreciate the fact that he is one of the few hard-working leaders in the NBA, who does it the right way. people are even bashing him in this thread for always saying 'sota'. Yeah, God forbid a professional athlete in this day and age actually express genuine appreciation and kindness towards the fanbase who drafted and loved him. The nerve. How dare he.

[STX_21]

I can't believe the of contempt that has formed for KG over the past couple seasons. Make fun of his intensity and talking all you want, but just realize it ain't no act. That's who Kevin Garnett is; since he was 18 ing years old... on the court, in practice, on the team plane, in the locker room and probably at home too. You think all the stories about him barely sleeping for days, or screaming at dudes during practice while busting their asses as hard as he can, or going to the gym at 3 AM to shoot after a bad game, or cheerleading from the sidelines are just manufactured stories made-up to make KG look intense? that, those all examples of a dude doing things, above and beyond what 99% of other players do, that help his team win.

, just the other day I read some piece on Randy Foye where he was talking about how much of a step back his career has taken, directly because he no longer has KG's energy, encouragement or practice habits to feed off of. And I've read countless stories like that over the years.

So I really don't get all the hatred for a guy who is as genuinely hard-working, team-oriented and compe ive as they come. Especially since he was universally loved and revered for it until he got on a good team. y'all.

What the are you talkin about? I haven't met many Spurs fans that liked KG for YEARS now...long before he was a Celtic. KG been acting like an ass for years now and Spurs fans been hating since the TD incident.

Being intense and being an asshole ain't the same thing kid. You telling me he's the only guy that brings it every night, practice, etc? And stop this KG is a winner please. He's spent his entire career losing, and all his teams weren't bad, so about all this unversal love you talkin? speak for youself!

[balli]

But it wouldn't be fair to ignore how his fake tough guy image can rub fans of other teams the wrong way. That part of his image is hugely fabricated and has been proven time and again. What kind of fugazy 7-footer picks on Luke Ridnour and Jose Calderon? And now that he has a ring, instead of eliminating that fake part of his personality, it seems to have enhanced it . . .

I simply disagree. I've read too much over the years where NBA players and NBA coaches went out of their way to talk about KG's work ethic and leadership abilities. It is no fabrication.

If you want to talk about fighting/tough guy , that's another story and frankly, it's one I don't care about. Right now I'm talking about his ability to practice basketball, play basketball and make his team better at basketball. I don't give a if KG can't fight, but gives the impression he could. WTF does that have to do with basketball?

[balli]

What the are you talkin about? I haven't met many Spurs fans that liked KG for YEARS now...long before he was a Celtic. KG been acting like an ass for years now and Spurs fans been hating since the TD incident.

Yeah well. Right now. Spurs fans. I'm an NBA fan.

[timvp]

I simply disagree. I've read too much over the years where NBA players and NBA coaches went out of their way to talk about KG's work ethic and leadership abilities. It is no fabrication.

If you want to talk about fighting/tough guy , that's another story and frankly, it's one I don't care about.

What in that paragraph you quoted are you disagreeing with? That paragraph is about him being a fake tough guy. I didn't say he wasn't a leader or didn't have a good work ethic.

Right now I'm talking about his ability to practice basketball, play basketball and make his team better at basketball.

What happened in his last three years in Sota?

I don't give a if KG can't fight, but gives the impression he could. WTF does that have to do with basketball?

He doesn't have to fight but picking on players half your size and then running behind a ref when they challenge you is weak any way you slice it.

[balli]

A lot of it had to be made up. If he were always that intense, how did he not implode in his final couple years in "Sota" when they were a lottery team? Eventually he had to simmer down and accept losing. , he even came down with a couple end of the year phantom injuries so he could get a head start on vacation.

He did implode. He broke down on national TV remember? And those phantom injuries were forced on him by McHale in his last TWolve season. The season every single lottery team did the exact same thing in hopes of getting Durant or Oden. Didn't have to do with KG going on vacation.

Apparently wasn't helping enough in his final three years in Sota when he couldn't lead his team to the playoffs.

You mean the team that had the absolute tiest roster in the NBA outside of KG. TD couldn't have dragged those teams into the playoffs either. Shaq in his prime couldn't have done it. I'm not going to hate on KG because he missed the playoffs 3 seasons, while on an absolutely awful and hopeless roster. And I don't believe for a second, that KG wasn't trying his absolute, upmost hardest, despite the futility of doing so.

Foye's main problem is that he sucks.

That's fine, but he's openly admitting that he sucks more, without KG on his practice court.

KG wasn't universally loved and revered. Exaggeration.

Agreed. Exaggeration. But I doubt you'd argue that he's hasn't had a significant decline in popularity (outside of Boston) since 2004.

But it wouldn't be fair to ignore how his fake tough guy image can rub fans of other teams the wrong way.

You're right, wouldn't be fair. But I also think it's not fair, in a league with so many de-motivated players, to hold it against him in such extreme regard. It's not something that should make one loathe KG, especially when you factor in all the positive things about him.

[Red Hawk #21]

[koriwhat]

but he'd get the crap beaten out of him if he tried that on anyone bigger than 6'1".

that's uh...pretty much everyone in the league.

and yeah i can't stand kg's antics either. always acted like a fool who had already scaled the mountain and now that he got his ring he's 10x worse.

[polandprzem]

Why couldn't the Hawks have won Game 7 last year.

Why.

That would have shut KG up for all eternity.

Exactly



I hate the er

I so wished hawks won that series

[bostonguy]

your sorry ass team wouldn't have made it to the playoffs had the league called the referee pushing incident. if the league suspended amare and diaw for a non confrontation due to a stiff rule interpretation, how come they decided to suspend it for mr bag?

Wouldnt have made the playoffs or to the finals? The "if" card can be used for just about everything. IF KG was suspended, IF Manu had been healthy, IF the Lakers didnt acquire Gasol, IF Amare wasnt suspended, etc etc.

Yeah the Celts caught a major break with avoiding a suspension. If a Spurs player had done that and avoided a suspension from a playoff game, I think you would accept a break like that in a heartbeat. KG is a compe ive player who takes it too far. I also agree that if you pop him in the face, he wont really try to fight back. I am not going to sit here and call KG a tough sob you dont want to with. I dont even call him the Celtics best player.

[bostonguy]

Boston didn't have any fans until last season. ing bandwagon fans.

Bandwagonners are the worst type of sports fan.

Been a Celts fan during both Antoine Walker eras.

[IronMexican]

Been a Celts fan during both Antoine Walker eras.

I believe you, but it's crazy how Boston doesn't get a bandwagon rep.

[bostonguy]

I believe you, but it's crazy how Boston doesn't get a bandwagon rep.

I wont sit here and call all of our fans loyal. We have our share of front runners just like laker fans do or Yankee fans etc etc.

[IronMexican]

I wont sit here and call all of our fans loyal. We have our share of front runners just like laker fans do or Yankee fans etc etc.

Obviously. I am just saying, look at the Pats last year. I've never seen a wagon so full in my life.

[bostonguy]

Obviously. I am just saying, look at the Pats last year. I've never seen a wagon so full in my life.

I met Pat fans who were really fans of Tom Brady's cuteness. I met Pat fans who thought last year was the first time the Pats lost the superbowl.

[bostonguy]

None of us liked KG before he got to the Celtics and we sure as don't like him now.

The thing is I liked the Celtics before KG got there. I really liked the 80's Celtics a lot. Now I don't like them at all. Not because you won it all last season, but because of KG.

This article is right. The guy picks on smaller players and acts tough all the time, but he'd get the crap beaten out of him if he tried that on anyone bigger than 6'1".

Agreed. I have seen that over the years.

[IronMexican]

I met Pat fans who were really fans of Tom Brady's cuteness. I met Pat fans who thought last year was the first time the Pats lost the superbowl.

You guys are like the Lakers, Yankees of the NFL. Well, a toss up between you guys and Dallas.

[Sissiborgo]

Good. er needs a lesson.

Damn right...

[SpursFanFirst]

THUG LIFE

[Obstructed_View]

exactly that

ing bag KG i bet he didn't even get a warning for that

I think the Spurs won 12 playoff games in a row after that.

[Obstructed_View]

And to anyone who thinks his act isn't manufactured, you must have missed the "anything is possible" moment.

[balli]

From today's truehoop:

You notice Randy Foye said he found Kevin Garnett inspiring as a teammate? Then Garnett comes to town, and presumably spoke to Foye. Then Foye had an amazing game against the Pistons. Britt Robson on Foye: "... the Foye we saw the first 11 games of the season was almost shockingly incapable of demonstrating, let alone inspiring, confidence. Malingering defense, clanked jumpers and silly mental errors that seemed to increase in late-game pressure situations--really inexplicable stuff like too many steps after picking up his dribble, or tossing the ball right to an opponent after unnecessarily leaving his feet--gave one the impression that Foye was buckling. His affected indifference to his travails, or poker-faced claims that nothing was amiss, made him, depending upon how intently you studied and interpreted his charade, either a bad liar or terrified into denial. About the only times Wolves fans weren't aggravated with Foye was when the team's best player (Al Jefferson) and head coach (Randy Wittman) were tactlessly taking him to the woodshed, in a manner that felt like cheap scapegoating. As if Jefferson, and especially Wittman, weren't vulnerable to one of their pecking-order superiors pulling out a drawer-full of grievances on their miscues. Which is all a long ramp-up to saying that tonight (Sunday) was the best Foye has ever played in a Wolves uniform. His 14 assists topped his career high of 10, and could have reached at least 18--I counted four muffs on table-setting dishes, including the opening possession when he posted up Allen Iverson, drew the double team and set Jefferson up in perfect rhythm heading hoopward off his right hand on the opposite side."

[jack sommerset]

Alot of you are JEALOUS. Alot of folks are eatting crow, they said Garnett would never win a ring but now he has and all you have to say is he picks on lil guys.