Kevin Garnett Tries to Intimidate Jose Calderon

Throughout his career, Kevin Garnett has gained a reputation for being one of the most intense players in the league. Sometimes that intensity causes him to step over the line a bit. Last night, in a game with a playoff-level feel to it, Garnett went bonkers and decided it was time for him to shut down Raptors point guard Jose Calderon. Here's footage of what happened next:

It's great to see a player of Garnett's caliber get that hyped for a regular season game. However, I definitely think he stepped over the line on this one.

There is no way the refs didn't see him clapping or wagging his finger at Calderon. That is blatant taunting and if it were any other player the refs would have nailed him with a technical foul. As well, if a guy like OJ Mayo would have done something like that everyone in the media would have been writing up pieces on how Mayo is a thug and representative of everything that is wrong with the league.

Yes it was entertaining to watch, but it's still something that no one else in the league would be allowed to get away with. Some people would say this is just another example of the Celtics being allowed to cheat their way to victory.

Watching the clip also caused me to gain a lot of admiration for Jose Calderon. You see how he didn't back down from Garnett? That's how you handle a situation like that. I hope Calderon's buddy Pau Gasol is taking notes.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

11-11-2008 @ 4:56PM

ecash94 said...

Boston is a team of d***heads. Some dude needs to go old school like Charles Oakley and pop one of these wanna be tough guys right in the face. Perkins, should be first in line.

11-12-2008 @ 11:04AM

rt said...

Right on!!

11-11-2008 @ 5:19PM

Martin said...

It should have been a technical foul for taqunting. I always thought highly of Garnett, but that is certainly bush league conduct.

11-12-2008 @ 12:16PM

ieden wall said...

Great for fan interest and builds a rivalry.......
but there are other ways to build intensity......
and Jose did the right thing...dancing around
with the ball on a string...like sugar ray...and
then pops it to Kapono for the 3.....and then
gets in KG's grill and says, we came here to win
sucka......calderon is the class of the league.

11-12-2008 @ 8:46PM

RM said...

Actually, the NBA is allowing players to be more emotional this season due to the quick "T's" in recent years. This is a case in point. KG was challenging him and Calderon did what he is paid to do. Dish to the open guy. I'm glad the refs let it go, it just slows down the game and takes the crowd out of it.

11-11-2008 @ 5:41PM

Step said...

I didn't think it was taunting. There's an argument either way and if one had been called, it would have been understandable. But I didn't think Garnett was taunting because I took his clapping and finger wagging as gestures to pump himself, his teammates and the crowd up (which it did). If he had done it to Bosh or O'Neal, guys who were guarding him and contesting his shot, yeah, that would've been taunting but Calderon hadn't done anything to him or vice versa. In the context, Garnett wasn't boasting of any feat to Calderon. He was just really into the game and he released his energy by picking up Calderon fullcourt, clapping and wagging his finger as if to say, "Your team is not scoring anymore."

To me it was good spectacle and since I watch for good entertainment, I'm glad Garnett was demonstrative out there.

11-11-2008 @ 6:19PM

Jnic said...

Garnett isn't, how do you say, a thinker.

11-11-2008 @ 11:47PM

organiceskimos said...

Actually, Calderon challenged a shot of KG's right before this happened. He was clearly going at Calderon because he dared to challenge his shot -- I laughed at this because KG is crazy, but it definitely warranted a technical. I liked that Calderon stood up to him walking off the court at the break though -- trying to shed that "softbatch Euro" image, I guess..

11-11-2008 @ 7:08PM

ML said...

What Garnett did was a little over the line. Just about every other player in the league (with a couple exceptions) would be T'd up for that. I understand someone showing intensity, but the condescension of wagging your finger in someone's face up the length of the floor crosses a line.

Kudos to Jose for standing up to him. And passing to Kapono for a three.

dean said...

Garnett infuriates me every time he opens his mouth on the court. Why is someone so talented so insecure? Go listen to some Soulja Boy to get yourself pumped.

Chester said...

I love KG but that was def some bush league 'ish!

I guarantee he wouldnt do that to Zaza, again! LOL

11-11-2008 @ 11:48PM

grover said...

Frankly, that was awesome.

I would rather see players flirt with crossing the line rather than play completely nonchalantly as so many of them do. Emotion is not a bad thing in sports.

11-12-2008 @ 1:05AM

Nora said...

What annoys me is how uptight everyone gets over one little incident. Nobody got hurt here. Heaven forbid there is some emotional and verbal reaction in a competitive sport. I guess some would rather they be robots out there. Bush league to me is a sucker punch.

frank said...

KG is a thug like paula pierce and most of the
celtics ;
Afew years back he keep taunting Steve Nash
cause he is a bully and he likes to intimidate
smaller guys;
Last year , Pachulia butt head him and he went
to his corner like the coward he is ;
This year Atlanta is ready for him and his thugs
and besides Pachulia they Al Horford ( the real ROY)
and they will NOT backdown.

In fact, they are playing tonight and
Atlanta is tired they just played a very
though game against Chicago in which
Al Horford show why he was suppossed
to be the ROY last year 17 boards,27 points
and 6 blocks , the numbers speak for itself
but you go figure ;
Bottom line even they are tired and they are
playing in Boston I like Atlanta either way they
will face each other in the playoffs, guarantee !

11-12-2008 @ 2:26PM

joe blow said...

looks to me like he was gettin in his head....so what.....maybe he smelled pu$$y

11-12-2008 @ 4:08PM

Garnett... said...

Wow, Garnett needs to grow up.

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11-28-2008 @ 6:14PM

kilroy said...

By the way, the Boston Celtics won the game.

11-12-2008 @ 6:54PM

I think that people having a conniption over finger waving need to grow up. It is not an international incident it is a competitve NBA game. He probably should have been t'd up. That is all. Celtics needed to wake up and KG made sure it happened. Get over it. Not like he punched or choked someone, geesh.