Garnett on M&M: Humphries 'out of control'

Celtics forward Kevin Garnett joined Mut & Merloni Thursday to discuss Wednesday night's brawl with the Nets and the team's struggles through the first 15 games of the season.

Nets and Celtics players began shoving one another late in the second quarter after Kris Humphries fouled Garnett. Garnett called Humphries' style of play "out of control."

"When you watch film on dude, he's always extra," Garnett said of Humphries. "I've seen him foul out. We watched film of the last time the last time we played in Brooklyn and he kind of gave Paul [Pierce] a similar type of foul: two hands, had something on it. Dude's always been known to be out of control and he's always tried to play the tough guy or whatever role. It was a little extra, but it comes with the territory, comes with the game. 

"They've tried to add physicality to that team and I guess they're trying to hold up to the whole Brooklyn mentality. Everybody knows that Brooklyn is known for being stern and firm and whatever, so I guess this is the new look of the Nets. It had something on it, but you either adapt or go home."

Rajon Rondo was ejected to shoving Humphries after the play. Garnett said that the behavior wasn't surprising from Rondo, as he felt he was defending his teammate. 

"A lot of people that know Rajon know that he doesn't like anybody messing with teammates or messing with brothers or messing with any kind of family," he said. "It's pretty much been the code and been how it is since I've been here. … This year's no different from that. We have each other's backs out there. We consider ourself like family and like brothers. You've got to take care of each other. 

"I was a bit surprised that it escalated to the point that it did, but it was just a big old pushing match at the end of the day. No punches or anything serious."

With the loss, the Celtics are 8-7 on the season. Garnett likened the team's process to that of cooking a meal, saying that all of the pieces simply haven't fit right together, but that they will. 

"We're 15 games in," he said. "Are we playing the way we want to be? No. Not by a fourth of it. Can we get better? Yes. Will we get better? Yes, because we don't have a choice. Other teams are obviously playing good basketball right now. We still have four to five months to play and get better. One thing about us, since I've been here we've always been a working team. 

"Nobody said this thing was going to be easy. Nobody said this thing was going to be simple. Nobody said that the things that were on paper were going to bond or join up as quickly as it should. In basketball and sports [in general], chemistry is one of the most underrated things that people don't necessarily think about. … That's the situation here."

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