Watching the Celtics-Bulls game last night brought some of the old juice back for me. Ben Gordon was amazing. Ray Allen was clutch. Seeing the Celtics in a hotly contested playoff game was great. But they kept flashing to KG mad dogging everyone. Now, I used to love the Big Ticket. I was solidly on the bandwagon. I still think he's a great player - one of the best I've ever seen. But, my goodness, can somebody just punch this man in the face and shatter his jaw so we don't have to watch his skinnyass pretend he's the toughest guy in the league anymore?

Did you see him standing on the sidelines last night looking like Loc Dog? Where are the enforcers? It almost makes me wish it were hockey (okay, that's a stretch). You think Charles Oakley would have put up with KG's weak ish? Or Rick Mahorn? Those guys would have had KG drinking meat through a straw. Can you imagine the beat down for the Big Ticket if he were mean mugging the LSU men's basketball team? I can't, because Garrett Temple and his cousin Darious from the freshman team would beat KG down (see comments). So that was a bad example...

I used to overlook KG's antics. He punched the sexiness that is Wally Szczerbiak when they played together in Minny. He also decked Rick Rickert because Rick was playing hard. How about his elbow to LaMarcus Aldridge? He recently gave Joakim Noah a nice elbow too. Class act, KG. Class act.Trying to intimidate Jose Calderon? Actually, I love that one.

Now, I've got to give Garnett credit. He's a great player and he's learned a lot in the NBA (listen to how he spoke as a rookie vs. now - his progressive mastry of the English language is tremendous). I love his game, and I'm not saying he shouldn't be intense - it is the playoffs and he's out there to support his team. But after the Celtics won last night, what was the first thing Garnett did? Did he celebrate with his teammates? Yes, but not until after he yelled a string of profanities at the Bulls bench. It's one thing to be competetive, it's another to come off like you're going to murder the families of your opponent. I've always liked Garnett - and still do, for the most part - but his need to continue his rep as the most intense player in the league is wearing thin. So, I'm torn. I like how hard he plays and love his game. I get tired of the antics - especially his need to goaltend every shot after the whistle is blown. Just stand down, Kevin.

I'm not really sure where this is going, so I'll end with Ron Artest's thoughts about comparing KG to Tim Duncan:

"I remember one time Kevin Garnett was mushing him, and shoving him in the face; and Tim Duncan didn't do anything, he didn't react. He just kicked Kevin Garnett's ass, and won the damn championship. You know what I'm sayin'? That's gangsta. Everybody can show emotion, dunk on somebody, scream and be real cocky; but Tim Duncan is a ... he's a pimp."

So what does that make KG? He can show emotion, dunk on somebody, scream and be real cocky... and win a championship. Because ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!! Except a repeat.

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