But the fans? Really?
Well, hold on a second. Spike Lee is no ordinary fan.
Spike's a bigger part of the New York Knicks franchise than anyone. He's been around longer than Amare Stoudemire, longer than Mike D'Antoni, longer than the Knicks' ownership and management. He's been a season ticket holder for longer than guys like Danilo Gallinari and Landry Fields have been alive.
So when you start talking trash with Spike, you're talking to Mr. Knick. You're talking to the face of the franchise.
But apparently, according to a recent interview with ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling, Spike isn't too appreciative.
"Kevin Garnett lost it," the famed filmmaker said of the last time the Celtics played the Knicks. "He was cursing me out for no reason. Maybe because Stoudemire gave him 39 points, but take that vulgarity to Stoudemire. I did not even say [expletive] to Garnett the whole game. That really surprised me. He lost it. He was cursing at me the whole game. He needs to calm the [expletive] down.
"If you're mad, start cursing out Stoudemire. But you're not going to do that [expletive], because Stoudemire’s not going to take it. So he cursed at me. I’m 5-foot-6 1/2, 150. What he was saying was worse than Reggie Miller. It was uncalled for."
But isn't it par for the course?
The point of trash talk, assuming there is one, is to get under opponents' skin and make them uncomfortable. And if you want to mess with the Knicks, then wouldn't the best strategy be to attack Spike, who's the team's heart and soul?
Spike's the star of the team. He was the one going back and forth with Miller in the early-1990s postseason series against the Pacers — he made headlines in the Big Apple when his trash talk sparked a Pacer rally in a playoff game. He was going at it with the Heat during their showdowns in the late '90s. And then in the 2000s, when the Knicks were irrelevant, he got quiet.
But he's back now, and he's dishing it out. So he'd better be prepared to take it.
Spike talks as much as anyone on the basketball court. When you miss a shot or you blow a defensive possession, he's going to let you hear it. So why shouldn't KG return the favor?
The moviemaking Knicks fan claims that he didn't say [expletive] to KG all night, but that seems a little hard to believe. He's always talking, and the Celtics are always talking back. Spike should "do the right thing" and roll with the punches.
What do you think of KG and the Celtics talking trash with Spike Lee? Share your thoughts below.
