Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big storyline. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
So when Boston’s Marcus Smart was able to corral a loose ball that had him and Garnett tangled at one point, you knew Garnett would say something.
The words spoken by Garnett caught Smart off guard, to say the least.
“He (Garnett) started laughing,” Smart said. “He said, ‘good job,’ kind of joking around with me. It was crazy.”
“I admire the guy,” Garnett said after Brooklyn’s 109-107 win over Boston. “I admire the young guy (Smart) for … how hard he plays. They brought him in here and Danny (Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations) knows talent; just a good hustle play. A little pat on the back, ‘good play.’ Nothing more, nothing less than that.”
…
“I tried to trip his ass up,” quipped Garnett moments before saying good-bye to the assembled media.
Kevin Garnett is going soft. That’s right, I said soft.
That’s the only explanation for his respectful, in-game encounter with an opposing rookie.
Granted, Marcus Smart made a helluva play but KG never seems to give a sh*t. Kelly Olynyk hasn’t seen such love. You may remember he had a couple of encounters with Garnett on opening night.
I can never get enough KG. Even more so as it appears retirement is imminent:
“At this stage it’s always somewhere lurking in the back, probably whether I admit it or not,” said Garnett. “But, if I’m being truthful with you, sometimes [I do think about it]. Seeing Paul [Pierce] the other day, he was in town to play the Knicks and we had a conversation. So, at this stage, we know that things are not taken for granted, but more appreciated. It crosses [my mind], I wouldn’t lie about that.”
Garnett had this to say about the 2008 championship team:
“I’ve been getting a lot of ‘Rest in peace’ texts and stuff, so I had to change my number,” Garnett joked after his Brooklyn Nets rallied for a 109-107 triumph in a Friday matinee. “It’s all good, though. We’re infinite. Once you win once, you win forever.”
Infinite.
Related: Herald – Misty KG mulls end | Smart’s OK with rough and tumble | CSNNE – Stevens says KG has too much energy to retire | Globe – Garnett still a fan favorite
On Page 2, do the Celtics have interest in Brook Lopez?
“When they [Celtics] talked to Brooklyn about Rondo, it was mostly about Mirza Teletovic and some of the younger pieces there.”
“If I’m Boston, I’d do my homework on Brook Lopez. He’s in his mid-20s. He’s a guy who’s a pure center, who has been an All-Star. He makes some decent money but, if you’re rebuilding a team, a guy like that wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to start with.”
Lopez missed 77 games in 2011-12 and 65 games in 2013-14.
He’s due $16 million next year, the final year of his contract.
Since Lopez isn’t on a long term deal, I’d be willing to take a flyer on him but it depends what Brooklyn wants in return. A 1st round pick?
And finally, Mark Cuban wants Rondo to slow down.
21 points (10-17 FG), 8 rebounds and 7 assists for RR last night vs the Lakers.
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston – Nets 109 Celtics 107 | Herald – Celtics fall short at buzzer | Globe – Celtics lose TD Garden matinee
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