"It's no longer just Charlie Villanueva, Joakim Noah and Channing Frye, the scorned opponents Kevin Garnett has routinely referred to as "nobodies."

In recent days Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry, Lakers coach Phil Jackson and movie director Spike Lee have all have spoken out about what they perceive as Garnett's bullying ways.

Doc Rivers, asked about the latest round of back talk, including Lee's comment in an interview that Garnett has to calm down, shrugged the whole matter off with some strong words.

"That means he's on their minds, and that's fine by me," the Celtics coach said last night. "Kevin has done nothing wrong. He plays the game the right way, and I think all of these people who call him out would take him on their team right now. Other than that, I could care less about that stuff."

Gentry, responding to Garnett's recent foul to Frye's groin area and his subsequent ejection, said he's lost respect for KG.

"I'll just let Alvin talk," Rivers said. "He seems to do that well. It's the fact that our team is pretty good. When they were bad in Minnesota you heard nothing, and that's all it is. Kevin's not going to change. He's a terrific player who plays the right way.

"I think all coaches would like their players to play like Kevin Garnett, be like Kevin Garnett and act like Kevin Garnett. I don't worry about it."

Most players don't, either. Charlotte's Eduardo Najera, a bona fide NBA tough guy, went nose-to-nose with Garnett in last night's 94-89 Celtics loss."