Kevin Garnett tried to trash-talk Michael Jordan and it went horribly wrong.
1. Every NBA fan knows that former Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett was a legendary trash talker. However, there was a time when that trash talk came back to burn him.
Appearing on Wednesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! Garnett revealed that when he was 19 years old, his teammate JR Rider got off to a hot start during a game against the Bulls and that got Garnett chirping at Michael Jordan. Garnett says he’s paid for it ever since.
“I was playing great, probably the best I ever played in my life at this point, and it’s against the Bulls and J.R. Rider is having an unbelievable game, too, and I’m feeling 19,” Garnett explained to Kimmel. “I’m like, ‘Yeah, keep going, you’re killing him. Woo!’ In the short form of it, I woke up a sleeping dog. … It just turned bad, Jimmy, it turned really bad. And it turned bad quick.”
Even Rider knew it wasn’t smart to push Jordan’s buttons.
“JR told me to calm down,” said Garnett. “He was like, ‘Yeah, we’re having a good game but chill. He can hear you.’ I was like, ‘Who cares? Keep going!’ ”
Not only did Jordan then torch the Timberwolves for the rest of the game, but he continues to let Garnett know about it.
“Whenever I see Jordan he does the same thing every time,” said Garnett. “He palms my head and he says, ‘Remember the game I gave you 40 in three quarters?’ And then he has this sidekick ... around him and he’s like, ‘Pull that [video] up.’ And then a guy goes and pulls it up!
I’m like, ‘What is this?’ This is really Jordan Brand. Who walks around with content? Like, tee it up. It was an experience in which I quit talking trash to Michael.”
Garnett begins telling the story at the two-minute mark of the interview.
2. The latest Sports Illustrated Media Podcast features two interviews. First up is Bryan Curtis, Editor-At-Large for The Ringer.
Curtis talks about a recent article he wrote that connects Brent Musburger's firing from CBS in 1990, which elevated Jim Nantz as the network's lead voice, to Nantz's current contract situation with CBS. Curtis also discusses the NFL asking networks for a 100% rights fee increase on their TV deals, why announcers don't matter as much as we think and much more.
Following Curtis, Alan Sepinwall, the chief TV critic for Rolling Stone joins the podcast to share some television recommendations for listeners. In addition, Sepinwall and Traina discuss Your Honor, Ted Lasso, Young Rock and Schitt's Creek. Sepinwall also shares his thoughts on this week's Golden Globe Awards and gives us his personal picks for some of the categories. Lastly, Sepinwall, who wrote the book, The Sopranos Sessions, talks about how many people watched the smash HBO show for the first time during the pandemic.
You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher.
You can also watch the podcast on YouTube.
3. New Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor must be excited for the upcoming release of Coming to America 2, because he wore Prince Akeem's jacket to camp today.
4. Nothing needs to be said about this tweet. Just enjoy it.
5. I'm not sure what message J.J. Watt is sending today with this tweet, but this is an accurate take.
6. North Carolina coach Roy Williams was fairly salty after his team lost to Marquette last night.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Happy 72nd birthday to the legendary Ric Flair.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.