Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Garnett, right, dunks against the Toronto Raptors during the second half of Game 2 in an NBA basketball first-round playoff series, Tuesday, April 22, 2014, in Toronto. AP
MANILA, Philippines—It’s the war of the words.
From newspaper headlines, to cuss words, and not to mention the physical play on the parquet floor, the National Basketball Association playoff series between Eastern Conference teams Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors might turn into one of the most interesting in the postseason so far.
When Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri said “F Brooklyn” in front of thousands of its home fans in Canada before Game 1, Brooklyn Nets big man Kevin Garnett responded perfectly.
“I don’t know if you can say ‘F Brooklyn’ and then come into Brooklyn,” Garnett told Sports Illustrated on Wednesday. “So we’re about to see what it’s like.”
With the series tied 1-1, and with Brooklyn winning the opener, homecourt advantage shifts to the Barclays Center, home arena of the Nets.
“When you’re on the road, you try to get one [win] on the road, try to get homecourt advantage,” Garnett, one of the game’s legendary trash talkers, said. “That’s what we did. We’ve got to take care of home. It’s going to be a rowdy environment. Like it should be.”
Nets head coach Jason Kidd downplayed the cuss and said that he “doesn’t even know who their [Raptors] GM is.”
“I’m shocked Bryan Colangelo would make such a comment,” Nets forward Paul Pierce said, still referring to the previous Raptors GM.
New York Daily News also responded to Ujiri’s words with the headline “Don’t F*** with B’klyn!” after the Nets delivered in the clutch in Game 1, beating the Raptors 94-87.
RELATED STORIES
Nowitzki passes idle Garnett for 14th in scoring