INDIANAPOLIS — Celtics coach Doc Rivers said it was Carmelo Anthony who acted “crazy’’ and the source of the Internet rumor regarding Kevin Garnett’s on-court comment to the Knicks’ star is a cereal liar.
Rivers said his player never crossed the line Monday night and accused Anthony of exaggerating KG’s trash-talking.
The website Black Sports Online reported Monday night Garnett told Anthony his wife “tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios.’’
Anthony has declined to say exactly what Garnett uttered that made him snap, but declared Tuesday, “There’s certain things that you just don’t say to men, another man.’’ His statement only fueled the fire.
The Post reported Garnett made a remark about Anthony’s wife, La La, with a confidante adding Anthony had “a very, very good reason’’ to go after Garnett.
Rivers emphatically denied the alleged Cheerios comment.
“I know what’s being reported did not happen,’’ Rivers said on Boston’s WEEI radio Thursday. “I know that as a fact,”
“A guy does something crazy like Carmelo did and the way to get out of it is to say, ‘Well he said this.’ It happens all the time,’’ Rivers added. “You know what bugs me about this whole thing is this is not a Kevin Garnett issue and it was made into one and it shouldn’t have been made into one.”
Celtics rookie Jared Sullinger also took to the airwaves to denounce the alleged Cheerios remark.
“That’s false,’’ Sullinger said. “KG just talks his stuff. He never crosses the line.’’
Whether it’s true or not, La La Anthony took to Twitter Thursday night to address the issue. And she seems to be taking it all in stride.
“Not for nothing, but we ALL deserve a check or some free cereal 4all the publicity we’ve given Honey Nut Cheerios! LOL,” she wrote on Twitter, closing her post with the hashtag cantbelieveeverything.
The league suspended Anthony for last night’s game against the Pacers for confronting Garnett in the tunnel near the Celtics’ locker room after the final buzzer, then again at the Celtics’ team bus in the Garden parking garage.
Garnett was let off scot free despite his reputation as the dirtiest of all trash-talkers.
“I’ve never heard [Garnett] cross the line,” Rivers said. “When he talks about guys, it’s usually about their game or their team or what he thinks of the guy as a winner or a loser.”
Yesterday morning, Anthony stayed back at the team hotel and didn’t participate in the morning shootaround at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, though he was permitted to. He was not allowed into the arena last night and planned to watch the game from his hotel room.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson said he wanted Anthony to rest for tonight’s game against the Bulls at the Garden.
“He’s not playing so let him stay back [at the hotel] and rest,’’ Woodson said. “We got a game [tonight]. I decided to make him stay back.’’
J.R. Smith, who has scored 18-plus points in eight straight games, figures Anthony will be amped tonight.
“It’ll be an MVP performance, like he always does,’’ Smith said.