Besides being known as the reigning World Champions (apologies, Pop), this incarnation of the Boston Celtics is recognized as being a team that likes to talk a lot of trash to their opponents. Kevin Garnett is the biggest culprit, although he arguably spends just as much time screaming things to no one in particular. So we'll set the most recent example of his antics aside and let him slide for now. The problem isn't so much with the team's stars that can, you know, actually back up what they're saying with their performance on the court. It's that the lesser known players on the team (I'm looking at you, Kendrick Perkins) can't resist joining in the fun, and that's what has players on opposing teams and the Celtics' own head coach upset.
After Boston's win over the Knicks, Quentin Richardson was less than thrilled with what he was hearing from some of the Celtics, and seemed like he wanted to step outside with a few of them to further discuss what they had to say.
"I'll just be real curious to see what a lot of those guys would say if we weren't in a basketball arena where there ain't no referees and the NBA officials are going to stop certain things," he said. "I mean, it wouldn't be the same story. They are the world champions and rah-rah-rah. But I mean, the tough talk, I don't buy."Doc Rivers would also like to see less trash talk from his team. Not so much from Garnett, because that's who he is, and who he's been his entire career. But definitely from a role player like Perkins.
"Kevin's just verbal," Rivers said. "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."Kendrick Perkins is responsible for picking up six of the Celtics' 20 technicals this season, but despite his coach's wishes, has no intentions of changing the way that he talks plays.
"[Perkins is] the one guy, I think emotionally when he starts getting involved with techs, you know, it affects his game," said Rivers. "So he has to get better at that."
"We're out here going hard, you can't be complaining," he said. "The game is physical. If you don't want to be touched, then you don't need to be playing basketball. It ain't nothing that we changed up from last year. It's the same team. It's the same intensity. It's nothing wrong with being emotional out there on the court, in my opinion."Being emotional is one thing. Running your mouth to the other team, telling their players to "get a ring" as you did to the Knicks, is quite another. Perkins is being singled out here because Rivers mentioned him specifically, but it's really a team issue. Rookie Bill Walker must have picked up on the vibe, because he had more than one incident like this when he was getting a lot of run in the preseason.
Until Doc Rivers takes the initiative to change the team's culture in this area, it's not likely to stop anytime soon. Especially while the Celtics continue to be one of the best teams in the league.
Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Talking to yourself is an sign of dementia in old age.
As usual Brett Edwards and his bias against the Celtics comes out. I know you are a Lakers fan but your constant anti Celtics threads are annoying.
I suppose other teams are completely trash talk free. Q-rich is always talking trash about the Celtics. Interesting how it is ok for other teams to talk trash but the C's aren't allowed to.
Brett Edwards wrote an anti-Celtics post? Shocking.
Didn't Paul Pierce mentioned something in the offseason that he should be mentioned along side Larry Magic Michael etc? really? Was he on crack when he said that? He couldn't do squat without Garnett and Allen. This big 3 are all All-Stars and none of them deserve to be mentioned along with the greats because they couldn't carry their team when THEY had their own team. Not a Celtic basher here...just stating facts.
As long as you win, you can do as much trash talking as you want. Bird did it, Kareem did it, Jordan did it.
Yeah its getting old, Celtics. Your passion for the game was refreshing, but your trash talking and just pissing all players off is starting to get annoying. Celtics need to get smacked down in the playoffs this season to teach them alittle humility. PREFERABLY BY THE LAKERS.
(I think Brett agrees with me here.)
the big difference with jordan, bird, kareem talking trash was they 1. all have more rings than the celtics and 2. talked trash TO EACH OTHER, not Calderon and the loser knicks.
you all can attack the blog author for having a anti-celtics bias, but you can't ignore the league is coming to a conclusion about the celtics: no class.
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!!
PERKINS ain't shit. He just happens to be one a team with good players. None of the so called BIG THREE can carry a team by themselves. LA is at full tilt, let's see what happens.
So you have to have more then 1 ring to trash talk now? LOL
What are other teams' excuse then when they have no rings huh? Why don't you get mad about that? Celtic hating is all that is. All team trash talk.
Nora. Stop. Now.
I just read previous comments that you have posted on various topics. You are biased as well, just towards a team. Celtics. It has blinded you to the behavior that is being presented to the young fans. You don't taunt other teams in any sport. It is taught to us a young athletes that taunting is poor sportsmanship. By all means, support your team. Please don't justify their boorish behavior though. K?
And the Blazer's don't talk trash. Just sayin'.
Don't tell me to stop. I have as much right to say something as you. I may be biased But I don't have column devoted to it like Edwards does. That is the main reason I say anything he has an anti celtic topic every week. Taunting, trash talking-- I don't mind people being upset with it but to this degree? It is absurd. This is sports if you can't handle some fighting and trash talking you better not watch any sport because it is everywhere. I bet the Blazers trash talk, if not they are quite the exception. BTW, I will post when I want to.
The truth is, there's nothing inherently wrong about talking trash. Obviously, if you're getting T-ed up then you're costing your team points. And if the coach says that it isn't a part of the team's plans, you need to wise up. But if the goal is to get marginal players on marginal teams angry and out of their game, then you're doing a good job.
Quentin Richardson plays for a team that hasn't made the playoffs in quite some time, and got there from a team that many think would've won a championship if he and Joe Johnson stayed (mostly Joe Johnson, but let's concentrate on Q). For him to hear comments from other marginal players who were lucky enough to trade for Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and get a skilled defensive coach all at once must be very irksome. If Perkins' goal is to get players like Q, good but not great players on teams full of non-game changing players, emotional so that they lose focus, it looks like mission accomplished. Especially the next time the Knicks come around on the schedule, it wouldn't be surprising to see Q step out of the offense just to prove a point.
Similarly, if trash talking helps Perkins with his confidence, then it can't be all bad. Anything that motivates him to make his defensive rotations and to stay out of foul trouble is a positive. If he views winning as the most important thing, then he's going to work hard to keep winning. If he takes this much pride in winning, he's going to take an equal amount of shame in losing and work to prevent it in the future.
A lot of these guys came up while watching Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Reggie Miller -- greats who talked all game long. They've seen successful players stay motivated by making it a game of constant personal slights, centered on winning and losing. If trash talking provides a net benefit to their job performance (that their defense, scoring, etc. adds up to more than their techs), then Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, and the rest of the Celtics are doing exactly what's right for them and their team.
"the big difference with jordan, bird, kareem talking trash was they 1. all have more rings than the celtics and" AH DUMMY, the CELTICS won their 17th Championship!! NO ONE has MORE RINGS than THEY DO! Oh n BTW BIRD was a CELTIC. Sheesh!
Brett, dude; get yourself a new hobby. You're getting desperate apparently.
The Celtics trash-talked all season last year before they won anything. Who cares? Who's it hurting?
The Pistons are known for their trash talking (just ask LeBron) and they've only won ONE championship.
And the Knickerbockers? We all know "Q" has issues.
NY is feeling inferior these days.
One more thing off the topic:
Has anyone noticed how effeminate the Lakers look?
Ya know, with their long flowing hair, n'all?
And girls on the left coast find Sasha attractive? What's in the drinking water out there?
Just an east coast girl routinely questioning the sexuality of the Lakers (e.g. The Left Coast Harlem Globetrotters).
Kendrick Perkins looks like a genie, regardless of what team you root for. Just sayin'.
Stupid column.
Get your facts straight.
Zach Randolph was getting frustrated because he was getting abused inside by Leon Powe, so Powe told him to "get a ring."
He didn't start the taunting. Randolph and Richardson were trying to get the Celtics out of their game; and it didn't work. The Celtics beat them easily. The Celtics bench beat them easily.
Every night teams are coming at the Celtics, and usually it's the other team that starts the yapping. It's the biggest game of the season for all of them, and they want to try and match the Celtics intensity.
The Celtics have been coasting up until now. KG and Rondo have been a bit lethargic through the first 10 games, perhaps because of the short off-season.
They have turned it up a bit during the last five games. There are only two teams in the league that can consistently give them a good game: the Lakers and the Cavaliers. And the Celtics are still better than both of them, even on an off night.
It doesn't matter if the media loves the Laker Globetrotters. I watched them the other night against the Suns. The Lakers won, but the Suns absolutely stank. The Lakers D just isn't that good. It's nowhere near the Celtics D. Also, Fisher and Radmonovic wouldn't be starting for the Celtics.
In terms of class, Ray Allen is possibly the classiest guy in the NBA. So is Rondo, who is pretty quiet. Doc Rivers is a lot classier than Phil Jackson. He totally out-manned him during last year's playoffs (with Jackson whining about the refs and putting down Leon Powe).
The Celtics never put down their opponents before or after any game. They give them respect. They also don't make excuses. They never use the schedule or the refs as an excuse.
They play hard every night. They share the ball and the credit. Except for KG and Pierce, who like to have fun, they never start yapping on the court unless someone else starts it first. Doc Rivers is just telling his young players to ignore the other team talking, keep their composure and play their game. That's all it is.
So, you wanker, get a few facts straight before you start writing these idiotic blogs.
#1 Since when did NBA players become a whiny lil bunch of sissies. It's a man's game so shut up, man up and play ball. Let your game do the talking. Celtics are on top for now if you hate em , beat em. It's that simple.
#2 Bird Magic and MJ all had teams atleast one sometimes 2 other hall of famers most of their careers. They didnt
YOU tell 'em KJR!!!
And...Calderon was "woofing" at Rondo when KG took it up with his finger pointing. Good for KG!