Joakim Noah On Kevin Garnett: “He’s a dirty player”
With 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Celtics’ victory over the Heat on Saturday, Kevin Garnett clocked Quentin Richardson in the head with an elbow, thus getting suspended for Game 2 on Tuesday. But even before the suspension was announced, Joakim Noah (who honestly should be focused on the Cavs) felt he should chime in on the situation after Bulls practice on Sunday: “I’m going to say it: He’s a dirty player.”
While this isn’t shocking news, as KG has long been known as one of the 10 most hated players in the NBA, it is surprising that Noah would have the cojones to come out and say it. When asked if he felt Garnett should be suspended, Noah went even further with his criticism of the 13-time NBA All-Star.
“I don’t make the decisions,” said Noah, “but he’s always swinging elbows man. I’m hurting right now because of an elbow he threw. It’s unbelievable. He’s a dirty player. It’s one thing to be competitive and compete. But don’t be a dirty player man. He’s a dirty player.”
In case you missed it, check out the video below:
What do you think? Should Noah have commented on the situation? Is KG a dirty player?
Source: Chicago Tribune
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April 19th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
danocasa says:
First, Noah shouldnt be saying anything. Second, as much KG’s crazy intense I-will-kill-you attitude made him a badass in minnesota, that kinda shit only flies when youre on minnesota and you are loyal like he was. Once he won (and got on a contender year after year) that act made him seem like a douche bag. The bullying, taunting rookies and point guards, and being super loud and aggressive with things not basketball related (helping teammates up, not letting opposing players shoot after the whistle blew, etc.) make him looking like a front running asshole.
I also want to mention Pierce’s acting during that game. He’s lying on the floor with a dibilitating shoulder injury (causing the KG-Q skirmish) then after everything cools down, he gets up and doesnt miss a second of the game. Same shit happened in the 08 finals with his knee injury (wheelchair anyone?) I hate that shit. Youre not a hero if you act hurt and then come back and play the rest of the game(Willis Reed barely played in his famous comeback game remember). Makes him look like a pussy. Get up and play. Hope hes happy his little charade got KG suspended for Game 2.
April 19th, 2010 at 12:09 pm
Jeff says:
It is not surprising at all. Noah has a big ass mouth and has had one for years. You could sucker him into talking about anything.
April 19th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Taj says:
KG has gone from one of the most loved to one of the most hated players in the league… Quit thinking your a bully. The worst part is he never does it against someone big or tough. Its usually the Jose Calderone’s, Zaza Pachulia’s and now Richardsons.. I’d like to see him try that with someone half crazy like Josh Smith or Ron Artest or Brad Miller
BTW.. Joakim, I hurt evertime I see you shoot a jumper!
April 19th, 2010 at 12:12 pm
pleasepleaseplease says:
In other News: Eddy Curry is fat.
April 19th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Bruce*Leroy*Green says:
KG is dirty but so are alot of the greats in the league (CP3, kobe, ginobli etc). That being said, KG took it too far and got caught tyring to throw a sneaky elbow so he got what he deserved. And this will cause a Miami win in game 2 and a shift in the series. And for the record, yes, pierce was fakin like a lil puss
April 19th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
evan @ nerditry says:
Love the Boston and KG apologists.
KG is going to get dirtier each year he gets older as his skills fade and he resorts to old man tactics against quicker and more athletic players.
FYI, there’s only criticizing Noah’s talk if you aren’t an informed NBA fan. Dude was a proven winner and the heart of an all-time great NCAA Championship team. He is a tenacious rebounder and killed himself on the floor against Boston in their 7-game series last season.
The Bulls should blow the team up, keeping Rose, Noah, Gibson and James Johnson.
April 19th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
davros says:
nice one pleasepleaseplease, other headlines in the same vein, Jerome James is overpaid!
April 19th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
Michorizo says:
Dirty players should have to wear rubbers to play
April 19th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Kermit The Washington says:
Joakim Noah is absolutely right. I mean, c’mon, are you guys actually saying that KG is NOT a dirty player?! We all know he is.
And I don’t think there’s any reason not to say it in an interview at this point. KG can’t play a straight-up game without trying to do or say something to get in the opposing player’s head, soooooo he’s gonna play the same whether you say something or not. And it’s not like they’re meeting up in the playoffs this year or anything.
And OMG I hate Paul Pierce when he pulls that “oh I’m seriously injured over here; I need the trainer and a wheelchair and OH NEVER MIND I’m FINE. False alarm, guys.”
GRRRRRRR
April 19th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
ERIC says:
@ danocasa -
Well said.
April 19th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
jmg says:
Kg is a fake thug and Pierce is a bad acting diva! next subject!!1
April 19th, 2010 at 12:53 pm
control says:
Paul Pierce always has that super whiney/douche bag look on his face after EVERY play now. He crumples to the ground and fakes injuries worse than a typical soccer player, everyone gets on Manu when he does that shit, but Paul Pierce is starting to take the crown from him. Just watch Paul’s face when he makes a basket, misses a basket, sees a teammate miss a basket, or sees a teammate make a basket…it crinkles up into a sort of mean looking whiney face, and he throws his arms around like a little two year old who just got told they need a nap. Just watch, you will see what I’m saying.
KG is a douche, and has been a douche since 08. He’s not a “superstar” anymore, in fact, his game has declined so badly that pretty much the only thing he CAN do is talk.
Glenn Davis and Rondo have both been infected by that KG douchebagness. I don’t know if Boston drafted those two guys specifically because they were douchebags, or if KG turned them into douchebags…but damn. Just watching the Celts play makes me sick, seeing how they act out there.
April 19th, 2010 at 1:05 pm
QQ says:
Kevin Garnett on Noah: ‘Shut up. I can be a dirty player
cause… anything is POSIBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!’
April 19th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Dennis Castro says:
I love how a lot of people want athletes to be honest instead of giving the same PC, rehearsed responses, and the times they do, the honest athlete gets chastised for it. Can’t have it both ways.
I appreciate Noah’s honesty. He could have said the PC thing of “no comment” or “that’s just KG playing hard”, but he said how he was truly feeling. And to those of you worried about him focusing on the Cavs, you realize for semi-intelligent people to answer a question like that only takes about 30 seconds. These guys aren’t robots.
April 19th, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Dan says:
Time for The Big Thicket to step up
April 19th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Pais says:
I don’t get it, why is Noah not allowed to have an opinion? Cause he plays ball? Are you only allowed to voice an opinion about players who are younger than you? …stupid question. “Is KG a dirty player?” that question is even more ridiculous.
April 19th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
sh!tfaced says:
KG’s a bully, has-been, dirty douche. Pierce is a drama queen. Eddy Curry is fat. Quentin is nothing but talk. Nothing new there.
If Noah wants to talk about something, he should focus on the Cavs and ask around who has an uglier jumper, his or Verajao’s? Who’s hair is uglier and/or stinks more, his or Veragina’s?
Don’t know what’s more annoying, their terrible form or the hair?
April 19th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Celt4life says:
I want to know what is a dirty player!?! I’m all about facts, what does kg do that players you all like don’t do?! Yes I don’t like it when the celts trash talk, but when I’m at court side (not to many games but 6 times a season)they are not the ones who start it. Yes kg should have left it alone with the first elbow. Yes Peirce was faking to GET (funny how you douche bag calling so-in-so’s never mention the obvious!) THE REFS Attention! but it was better that yelling at the ref to get a tech.
All in all there is so much hate and that means when ya got haters your doing something right!
April 19th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
JJ says:
Whats wrong with what Noah said? did he lie or exaggerate what happen? Since he comment on the bos/mia series hes not focused on his series, really? basketball players are that limited that they cannot focus on more then one series…
April 19th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Name (required) says:
KG aint even a dirty player, dirty players will use cheap shots to irritate people on D or watever but they’ll try to be sly and get away with it, bending the rules as far as they can.
KG just gets all pissy and hits people wen they dont expect it. He aint “intense” or “tough” hes just a bitch who gets in a strop wen things aint goin his way.
April 19th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
RC says:
Bruce Bowen is dirty. KG is a douchebag. Both are hated.
And as for Paul Pierce he is the only one who knows if he’s hurt or not. So lets leave it up to him. If you want acting then there’s Manu and Varejao.
I respect Noah for standing up for his opinions. Although he should worry about the Cavs destroying them in game 2.
April 19th, 2010 at 2:33 pm
Bruce*Leroy*Green says:
Q rich and KG/Pierce have bad history. Back when Q was on the Knicks he told Pierce during a game to meet him in the lot after the game to fight. I’ve even heard some of its gang related but who knows, ppl talk alot of nonsense but there is def bad blood btwn the 3
April 19th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Brown says:
I wouldn’t call KG dirty. He just doesn’t have any class. Pierce faking injuries with that “it-hurts-so-bad-I’m-gonna-cry” look on his face is pretty classless too.
As for Noah, my issue is with the reporter who asked him the question. Why would you ask him about something happening in another series? If he said it on twitter, that would be a different case.
April 19th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Boombaby says:
KG is one and done. An old dog that likes to bark but does not bite. I like KG when he was with the wolves but since winning a ring an air got to his head and got trapped. I used to be a fan but not anymore.
April 19th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
life-p says:
LOL@ Q-Rich calling Boston “Actresses”
April 19th, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Ian says:
garnett has always been a bitch. control still cant post without mentioning manu?? but since u mentioned him why didnt garnett talk shit to manu after that block?
ps peeler for president
April 19th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
control says:
Ian
Damn, I thought I was being positive about mentioning Manu…just saying that people bitch him out cause he acts like a bitch, yet this “gangster” Paul Pierce is acting like just as big a bitch…
KG didn’t talk shit to Manu after that block because he got his ass destroyed. Manu fucked him up, I’m sure Paul Pierce was telling KG on that play “just lay down until you get a whistle man, just LAY DOWN! Have a seizure if the refs ain’t buying that you are hurt…”.
April 19th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Celts Fan says:
KG was a punk and deserved the suspension. I don’t know that he’s a dirty player, but that particular play was 100% dirty and classless.
As for The Truth, dude got hit on the shoulder that’s been bugging him all year and went down. It happens. He’s got too many tough guy moments on his resume to be called soft or acting (like almost being stabbed to death and playing all 82 games of a season that started just 4 weeks later or landing face-first knocking out teeth, spending 7 hours in emergency dental surgery, then dropping 30 the next night.)
Thankfully, every time a guy goes down and stays down doesn’t mean they’re out for the year. If you’ve ever played ball, at some point you’ve rolled an ankle that hurt like hell, thought it was bad and stayed on the ground for a bit, then gotten up and played through it once the initial pain wore off. Let’s ease up on the acting BS.
April 19th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Ian says:
i know u were i was using u as an excuse to mention manus block hehehe
April 19th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Ian says:
btw a big LOL on ” I’m sure Paul Pierce was telling KG on that play “just lay down until you get a whistle man, just LAY DOWN! Have a seizure if the refs ain’t buying that you are hurt…””
April 19th, 2010 at 3:58 pm
DNice says:
This is what basically happened
Richardson: ” Hi KG, please pardon me I want to inbounds the ball”
KG: “What the F#$&, Get the F&^% outta here”
Richardson: “Excuse me? What’s with the profanity, we are just trying to win a highly competitive game.”
Peirce: “Agrhhh I think my shoulders dislocated Agrhh!!”
KG: “I said get the F&^% away from here!!”
Richardson: “But sir…”
WHAM Elbow to the head Fracas continues
Richardson: “I was just trying to inbounds the ball”
KG: “F*&% Mother*&^72 I kill all you mother *^%$%&*(”
Peirce: ” Hey where did everybody go?? My shoulder’s hurt I need a stretcher. Oh well nevermind I’m fine everyone, ball in.”
April 19th, 2010 at 4:02 pm
sh!tfaced says:
LMFAO. That’s classic, control.
Still remember when Pierce and Manu bumped, flopped and took each other out a few games back. They were both Oscar worthy.
KG did what any big man teammate would do – he had Pierce’s back. Dude just took it a little too far and he got what he deserved, suspension and all – maybe the name calling too…
April 19th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
sh!tfaced says:
funny one @31…
just wish you didn’t give Quentin such false dialogue. Makes you think he’s the real actress out there with those boring ass lines… After all, it was his yapping did start it all
April 19th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
12thMan says:
I think KG was smart…the suspension should ACTUALLY piss Boston off, put some fire in some old bones and we’ll see if they come out playing angry or not
April 19th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
POPPI GEE says:
I told my wife before that series started if it was one I had to catch it was that one because with so many of Boston’s players trying to be harder than they are, something is bound to pop off.
And there you have it, and this is game 1 lol. Still thinking something will pop in that Cleveland / Chi series too.
If only Denver and Boston could meet, just scrap the game and let them go at it.
LOL @ how Jermain O’Neal owned Glenn Davis. I mean the Gooch gotta come harder than that lol.
April 19th, 2010 at 5:01 pm
Forrest G. says:
As my momma used to say, dirty is as dirty does.
April 19th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
RADIx says:
KG mentioned in this song check it out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJbOkiKKh2Y
April 20th, 2010 at 12:15 am
dvs says:
Everybody hates Noah, but he speaks the truth. He KG a dirty player, and KG is. He called out Lebron for dancing around like a punk bitch, and it’s true, lebron is CORNY!!
You go Noah, keep shooting your ugly ass jumpers and keep getting those double doubles.
April 20th, 2010 at 2:31 am
Colton says:
everyone hates on noah. i used to not like him, but you gotta give it to him. given he doesnt have uber amounts of skill, he makes up for all out hustle to go with that great size he has.
plus, hes totally right. K.G. is dirty. i used to like him when he played for minnesota … now … not so much?
April 22nd, 2010 at 1:54 am
paul says:
How can you say KG is “all bark and no bite”? What about Quentin Richardson? He’s a thug who talks but his play doesn’t back it up…he’s jealous of the C’s. I get what he’s saying about Pierce acting but c’mon man this isn’t the streets, its basketball, if you’re pissed, step up your game. He scored 5 points in game 2 after his tough talk. That’s all he is. KG at least can play. Yeah, he had a pretty bad injury that set his game back, but he still runs around great for an old man and his length allows him to to still be a factor. You guys thought KG’s elbow would lose the C’s game 2? They killed them with Big Baby starting.
I get that KG can be a dirty player/trash talker, but hasn’t he always done this? Now people just take it to heart since he got a ring. This topic is played out. But honestly, I’ll admit I do want the Celtics to advance in this series so i’m biased