Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett has a longstanding reputation as one of the NBA's most controversial on-court instigators.
Participation in physical proceedings has long been a prerequisite for Garnett's combative ways, and the story was no different when he was ejected barely four minutes into Monday night's 113-99 loss to the Houston Rockets.
In the first quarter of the showdown, Garnett hit Dwight Howard with a quick shove before the Rockets big man retaliated, leading the Big Ticket to pelt his opponent with the ball prior to engaging him with a headbutt to the jaw, which is when things escalated: Upon official review, Garnett was sent to the showers and Howard was slapped with a technical foul.
As CBS Sports' Matt Moore noted, Garnett's intimidating tactics designed to provoke an incendiary response were nothing new for the 38-year-old: The purveyor of a long and storied history of physical conflict with a fascinating and rotating cast of counterparts, Garnett has been making opponents' blood boil for the past 20 years.
Just ask Indiana Pacers forward David West, who took exception to Garnett's Lance Stephenson impression earlier this season: The Garnett experience has always come bundled with an unpredictable confrontational component, but it was undeniably more palatable when he functioned as a defensive stalwart who churned out double-doubles.
At this waning stage of his career with the Nets quickly fading out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture, Garnett has sadly been relegated to the role of a contentious showman who thrives in moments of chaos.
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2327779-kevin-garnetts-act-takes-another-unfortunate-turn
No comments:
Post a Comment