	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: PISTONS v CELTICS

May 21, 2008

Kevin Garnett

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Practice Day

Q. How do you anticipate them adjusting defensively to you guys?
KEVIN GARNETT: I don't know. I think tomorrow's game is going to be a lot more aggressive. I anticipate them being a lot more aggressive. I anticipate Chauncey getting a lot more aggressive, Rasheed definitely will. I think it's going to be intense, but we anticipate that.
Definitely Rasheed and Chauncey will be a lot more aggressive, so we have to be ready for that and be as aggressive as they are, be ready for that.

Q. Chauncey looked like he started to heat up down at the end of the fourth quarter.
KEVIN GARNETT: That's what he does, though. For the first half I think they try to get the other guys a chance to get into a flow. Then come the later quarters, I think he does a real good job of being aggressive and picking his spots and stuff, so we've got to be very conscious of that.

Q. Talk about Ray and the struggles he's going through right now.
KEVIN GARNETT: Ray is a part of the Boston Celtics and the Boston Celtics are a part of him. He's a personal friend. I'm happy to have him. That's what it is. I'm sure this is not his first shooting slump and it's definitely not his last. I'm not that worried about him. You don't really realize that he's making plays for other guys, so he's going to miss some.
I thought he did a real good job on defense. That match-up is fun to watch. This is not Ray Allen's first shooting slump so I wouldn't call it that. I think the energy he's given us, obviously we're used to him making threes, but at this point he can do other things and it's good to see that. So no, I'm not worried about Ray Allen. I think he's playing great basketball right now.

Q. Can you tell right away when you're in the zone?
KEVIN GARNETT: No, a zone is really a flow, man. A zone is how the game is going. For us, defensively when we get in spots, we actually -- we're locked in and playing with each other defensively, and I can tell that, that we're just starting to get into a nice flow, whatever. When you're in the zone you have no concept of what's going on, you just know that things are feeling good. You're just more reacting than anything.

Q. Can you talk about the mutual respect you have for Rasheed? Where did that start?
KEVIN GARNETT: Actually it was in high school. Actually Sheed is in Ray's class; I think he's '93. But we were all in the same draft class, '95, and we've always played the same positions. I think from playing against each other so much that he's grown.
Sheed's character, his personality is one of the biggest and brightest. I think he sometimes gets misunderstood, but I see a lot of myself when I see him play, and vice versa. He plays with an energy in his heart and his soul, and I commend that. I don't think a lot of guys do that.
Rasheed, I don't care if you like him, but the man can play the game of basketball. I always say, he and Joe Johnson are probably the most underrated in our league, and I don't think Sheed really wants the notoriety or whatever. I just think he's happy with just going out and kicking ass and being a beast out there.
We've always respected each other just because of I think the growth and how we came in.

Q. Do you think he sometimes gets penalized because of his personality?
KEVIN GARNETT: I don't know, I just think people see what they want to see, and that's what it is, versus seeing who he really is. I don't think he lets too many people into his own personality, but I do know he's very, very smart, very, very entertaining. I mean, his energy, he's heart and soul. You can go over there and ask any of those guys, they know that. I think there are times that it really helps the situation at times. But like I said, if you're an emotional player, you play with your heart like that, sometimes it comes out in different ways. I know that myself when it comes to technicals (laughter). Rasheed is one of the hardest people to guard in this league.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297