Tuesday’s Boston Celtics game at Detroit has sparked some controversy and it’s not because how the game was played. Following the Celtics 109-86 victory at Detroit, Charlie Villanueva accused long time veteran Kevin Garnett of calling him a “cancer patient.”
First of all, this is no surprise about Garnett. Over my years dealing with the opposing team, Garnett has been one of the most difficult players to deal with. His poor attitude and lack of respect is typical.
What went on for sure between Villanueva and Garnett we will never know. But Charlie went over the edge when he criticized KG on his Twitter page.
The first tweet reads: “KG called me a cancer patient, I’m pissed because, u know how many people died from cancer, and he’s tossing it like it’s a joke.”
Kevin Garnett responded by saying it was a “a major miscommunication.” Garnett later released the following statement prior to Boston’s win over the Bucks.
“My comment to Charlie Villanueva was in fact ‘You are cancerous to your team and our league,'” Garnett said. “I would never be insensitive to the brave struggle that cancer patients endure. I have lost loved ones to this deadly disease and have a family member currently undergoing treatment. I would never say anything that distasteful. The game of life is far bigger than the game of basketball.”
Trash talking is nothing new in the NBA or any sport for that matter. Not only do players enjoy the rivalry and battle with their opponent, but it also provides extra motivation and incentive. Normally its friendly trash talking from the bench or focused on the player one is guarding.
Garnett clearly went over the edge with his message directed are Villanueva.
But Villanueva is also at fault in this escapade. There’s an unwritten rule that whatever is said between the team, in the locker room and on the court stays there. Much like “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Although Garnett’s alleged comments may have been hurtful, CV is only bringing attention to himself and the situation with his tweets.
The Pacers star Danny Granger shared his disapproval with Villanueva’s tweets on Thursday.
That’s crossing the line. What happens on the court or in the locker room should never B repeated anywhere else. Definitely shouldn’t B tweeted!
Boston’s Danny Ainge also took issue with the way Villanueva attacked Garnett.
“Tweeting is about self-promotion in most cases,” he said. “He’s [Villanueva] not trying to be a public servant by telling everybody. As a matter of fact he’s the one who brings light to this attention…There’s self-promotion in tweeting — all the time. You are talking about a guy who tweets in the middle of a game…I think that Charlie was wrong — and there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it — by doing this.”
There’s no question the alleged comments were wrong. But Villanueva should have been the bigger man and confronted Garnett following Tuesday’s game rather than tweeting it out and shedding light on the issue to the public.