"Yes, Al Horford said "you take it personally" when someone calls you out in the media the way Amar'e Stoudemire has done twice to Horford this season.

But Horford, not much for hype, says he will make his point tonight at Madison Square Garden against Amar'e's Knicks.

"He's a talker. He's going to talk, you know what I'm saying?" he said at shootaround today. "All I do is bring my game to the court. That's what I will do tonight."

Stoudemire has tried to inflame what already promised to be an intense game after Marvin Williams and Shawne Williams scuffled during Atlanta's 111-102 victory on Jan. 28. Both immediately after that game and again yesterday, Stoudemire seemed to question Horford's toughness and declared that Horford "doesn't want to see me."

Horford seemed more amused than offended by that last part.

"I don't understand what he means by I don't want to see him," Horford said. "Like we are supposed to be scared of him or something. Ain't nobody scared of nobody. We are all grown men. It's all good."

Seemingly lost amid the fight and Amare's tough talk is that the Hawks own two victories this season against the Knicks, who are being left behind by Atlanta in the Eastern Conference standings.

Before the victory at Philips the Hawks won 99-90 on Nov. 27 at the Garden, after which New York won seven straight against mostly lesser competition.

"I walked out with the W's the last two times," Horford said. "So that's that."

Horford was productive and efficient in both games. In New York he had 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, one block and one turnover while shooting 7 of 14 from the field. In Atlanta he had 19 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, one steal, one block (against Amar'e) and one turnover while shooting 8 of 12 from the field."