Hawks' Ivan Johnson: KG 'a dirty player'

Hawks forward Ivan Johnson might be in his first year in the league, but he's not afraid to speak his mind about one of the league's veteran standouts: Celtics forward Kevin Garnett.

"Garnett, he's a dirty player," Johnson told reporters after Monday's practice. "He gives me a lot of elbows, and I can handle that."

Johnson, a 28-year-old who has had his share of issues with his temper in college, the D-League and overseas, said he wasn't surprised that Garnett tried to get him off his game during Sunday's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

"I was prepared for that," Johnson said. "I already knew how KG was going to come at me. They're a whole bunch of mess-talkers."

Added Johnson: "I know we're not going to fight on the court. I can handle it. I can take some hits. I try not to [hit back] because I'm usually the one that gets caught."

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