Ivan Johnson: Kevin Garnett is a Dirty Player

It wouldn’t be a Boston Celtics/Atlanta Hawks Playoff series without some bad blood. After just one game, there’s already a bit of beef between Ivan Johnson and Kevin Garnett. Per the Boston Herald: “Add another name to the ever-expanding list of Kevin Garnett critics. Hawks rookie forward Ivan Johnson became the latest to join the chorus this afternoon after Hawks practice. ‘Garnett, he’s a dirty player,’ Johnson said. ‘He gives me a lot of elbows, and I can handle that.’ Johnson said he expected that Garnett and the Celtics would attempt to do things to incite a reaction. ‘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.’ Johnson said he didn’t let the tactics get under his skin in Atlanta’s 83-74 win in Game 1 last night. ‘I know we’re not going to fight on the court,’ Johnson said. ‘I can handle it. I can take some hits. I try not to (give hits) because I’m usually the one that gets caught.’”