"Nets assistant coach Sam Mitchell was sitting next to rookie Damion James, who has missed the last two months after foot surgery. On the TD Garden's visiting bench, Mitchell began telling Kevin Garnett stories to James, as if Garnett was a legend of generations past, not the starting power forward with the Celtics.

"Kevin never let up in practice,'' Mitchell told him. "If I came to practice and wasn't at my best, he would embarrass me, make me look bad. He brought that every day I played with him. It's no act.''

Mitchell played seven seasons with Garnett in Minnesota, and credits Garnett with extending his career because the way he sees it, if Garnett had not been so relentless in practice, Mitchell would not have worked so hard.

As an assistant coach, he was using Garnett to motivate James, who has been inconsistent in his first season.

Garnett has taken his share of shots this season from opposing players and coaches. He has been involved in an unusual amount of mix-ups and altercations, with players such as Charlie Villanueva, Channing Frye, and J.J. Barea. He has taken verbal shots from Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry and movie director Spike Lee about his on-court demeanor."