Rivers did admit that players can cross the line when it comes to trash talking, particularly if the language is racial in nature or is directed at another player’s family, but he said Garnett knows where that line is and doesn’t cross it.
“It’s pretty crude, I can tell you,” Rivers said. “Out there at times, you hear some crazy stuff. But when it gets racial or personal to family, then that crosses the line. But I’m going to say it again: In this case, that didn’t happen.
“(Garnett) does (know where the line is). He does. I will say that. I’ve never heard him cross the line. And usually when he talks about guys, it’s usually about their game or their team or what he thinks if the guy’s a winner or loser.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge weighed in on the Garnett-Anthony issue during his own appearance on WEEI on Thursday, saying he was more concerned with the safety of his players than the actual trash talking on the floor.
“Well, you know, I’m not really concerned about what players are saying on the court,” Ainge said. “I mean, I’ve been involved in so many big games and so much talking going on. I, first of all, can’t imagine that anybody lets anybody … I don’t care what it is on the court, in the heat of battle, bother you. That’s the first thing. So, I’m not worried about that from our team standpoint or our players. Second of all, my concerns are more just security and issues revolving around postgame and the safety of my players. I’m not so much worried about all the shenanigans that are going on.”
Asked further about why Garnett has received such heavy criticism for his reported remarks about Anthony’s wife, Ainge offered: “I don’t know. I’m just telling you my perspective, and my perspective is I would be embarrassed if somebody said something that threw me off my game.”
Ainge said he wasn’t sure if the one-game suspension Anthony was dealt by the NBA was warranted, but he did acknowledge that punishments need to be put in place to help prevent incidents such as these in the future.
“Well, you know, I think that this is a first-time incident of this type of situation, and they’re making it a first-time warning to the whole league,” Ainge said. “You don’t confront players in the locker room or by the bus after games, and if you do, you get suspended. The next time anybody does it, it’ll be a much bigger suspension, I’m sure.”