ESPN
QUOTE
Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah isn't facing Kevin Garnett in the first round of the NBA playoffs. But as the NBA reviews Garnett's elbow of Quentin Richardson during a fracas near the Miami Heat bench in Game 1, Noah is offering his own viewpoint.
On Sunday, Noah called Garnett "a dirty player" who is constantly throwing elbows. He also said he's hurting because of an elbow he took recently from the Celtics' star.
"He's a dirty player," Noah said after the Bulls practiced at Quicken Loans Arena in preparation for Monday's Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. "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 and all that.
"But don't be a dirty player, man. He's a dirty player."
When those comments got back to Boston, Celtics coach Doc Rivers could only laugh.
"Noah? Noah's in this series now?" Rivers jokingly asked. "I have no comment. If Noah had said that last year [when the Bulls and Celtics met in the postseason], I would have had a comment, but since he's in Clevleand and dealing with that, I think I'll let him focus on [Shaquille O'Neal] and that group right now."
On Sunday, Noah called Garnett "a dirty player" who is constantly throwing elbows. He also said he's hurting because of an elbow he took recently from the Celtics' star.
"He's a dirty player," Noah said after the Bulls practiced at Quicken Loans Arena in preparation for Monday's Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. "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 and all that.
"But don't be a dirty player, man. He's a dirty player."
When those comments got back to Boston, Celtics coach Doc Rivers could only laugh.
"Noah? Noah's in this series now?" Rivers jokingly asked. "I have no comment. If Noah had said that last year [when the Bulls and Celtics met in the postseason], I would have had a comment, but since he's in Clevleand and dealing with that, I think I'll let him focus on [Shaquille O'Neal] and that group right now."