Charlie Villanueva is no stranger to conflict.

I guess he got bored of his beef with KG and moved on to Ryan Hollis. Last night during Pistons-Cavs, Villanueva set a pick on Hollis and, if you watch the video below, you will see that he swiped at Hollis' "man region..." for lack of a better term. Then they get tangled up, broken up and eventually ejected. After he realizes he's getting ejected, Villanueva stormed full speed at Hollis again and had to be restrained by Rodney Stuckey. He was escorted to the Pistons locker room and it was at this point that he allegedly threatened to kill Hollis, (allegedly) stating, "I will kill that dude. I don't give a f*ck." He then tried to exit and go in to the Cavs locker room, but he was stopped by police.

I don't know what Hollis did to so royally piss him off, but seeing as it was one of the last games of a crappy season for Detroit (they're 29-52), I'm pretty sure he should calm down. I like to be fair, so let's remember that we don't know what Hollis did to make him so mad and we don't know if he actually threatened to kill him, but still. Calm down. And charging at him again only after you find out you've been ejected from the game? Wamp, wamp. False show of bravery, he already knew he'd be escorted off the court. It's just about time for him to go and sit on the beach somewhere for summer, so he can properly enjoy that 35 million dollar contract he signed with Detroit.

Doc Rivers: "It was a good win, a bloodbath. But I thought it was beautiful." Celtics beat Knicks 96-86.

I talked about it before and Bill Simmons talked about it with Steve Kerr in his BS report: did the Kendrick Perkins trade take the fight out of the Celtics? Have the Celtics lost their fight? Are they less physically intimidating post-trade? 

These questions have arisen because, frankly, the team has played like the wind had been taken out of its sails. That wasn't so last night, and it was such a relief to see. After getting their butts handed to them in Houston and playing the worst that they have in years, they traveled to New Orleans and squeezed out a win against a much inferior team. In the face of these less than impressive last two games, I was nervous about the match up with New York. The Knicks are a team dealing with identity issues of their own, but the prospect of facing Amare and Carmelo was daunting. The Celtics did nothing to quell these fears in the first half, scoring just 37 points while allowing the Knicks to put 51 up on the board. There were some signs of life in the third... But they really turned it up in the 4th. 

Paul Pierce had THE LOOK on his face, and it was so good to see it back. He was a man possessed: The Celtics were going to win that game, no matter what. He scored 13 points in the final frame. And his teammates were right there with him. They displayed hustle and passion that has been missing in recent history. KG out hustled Amare, sprinting and wrestling with him for loose balls. Ray Allen got clocked and blood gushed out of his head, but he returned to action and spread the floor just by being there. And Rondo.... People were saying Rondo was "back" after that game in New Orleans. He wasn't. He was back last night. Shots falling for him around the basket (13 points), and he broke double digits in assists, with 12. But it wasn't about the numbers- it was about his hustle. He stifled Chauncey Billups. He fought for loose balls- most notably tracking down a long offensive rebound in the fourth, out-running Amare and hitting it off of him out of bounds to regain Celtics possession. Oh and he inadvertently elbowed Carmelo in the face ('Melo later got 6 stitches)... But he did that because he was fighting for control over a wild inbounds pass, and wrestled the ball away from Mr. Anthony. Yes! Carmelo started off on a roll, and it looked like he was going to score at least 40. He ended up with just 22 points, and only scored 5 points in the second half. 

It was the kind of win that the Celtics needed. They played together, they didn't waver and they out toughed a team boasting one of the most physically imposing guys in the league (Amare). And mostly, they showed that they're still a team that possess the will to win. And they imposed it in New York last night. Sorry Spike!

I compiled all my favorite pictures from All-Star weekend parties and other such festivities.

Rondo, Paul Pierce and KG walked the red carpet together

Loving our three men in black.

Our very own Glen Davis struck a pose on the red carpet at a party

Okay, Glen! Looking good from the waist up. This might have looked nicer with dressier pants or a darker wash of denim... But he looks dapper anyway and it looks like he had a fun time. 

Javale McGee was at the same party, because he's relevant now

But this outfit... No, no. 

Jay-Z hosted a dinner and his BFF Lebron came. Where was Beyonce?!?!

Lebron and Jay-Z... Jigga always looks dapper. This is a better look for Lebron.

LOTS more pictures of Celtics and other NBAer's from parties and other random events after the jump

I've had enough of the KG bashing.

(photo source)

KG has always been intense, and his on the court antics are a well known aspect of his game. However, it seems like everyday now a new person is coming out of the woodwork with something negative to say about KG and his behavior. Here are some recent examples:

Alvin Gentry: "I used to be a big fan of Kevin Garnett. Some of the antics he's pulled lately, you don't need to do that as a star player. I've never seen Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or even a Dwyane Wade do that... If you're asking me, yeah, I lost a little respect for him."

Spike Lee: "Kevin Garnett lost it. He was cursing me out for no reason. Maybe because Stoudemire gave him 39 points, but take that vulgarity to Stoudemire. I did not even say sh*t to Garnett the whole game... He needs to calm the f*** down."

Eduardo Najera: "He did elbow me in the face at the end. I just told him he hits like my Grandma."

The list goes on and on here- Joakim Noah, Andrew Bogut, Andray Blatche- blah blah blah.

To all these stans, I only have this to say: You just wish he was on your team. You might think his antics have no place in the game of basketball, but I think it's your antics that have no place. If you think KG crossed a line- okay. But Alvin Gentry and the Suns won the game when KG tapped Channing Frye in the balls. Eduardo Najera and the Bobcats won last night, when KG allegedly elbowed Najera. If you don't like it, let your play do the talking. KG acts crazy on the court, but he never uses the media to publicly disrespect someone. It's childish and inappropriate. This is not to say that I think KG should have free reign to do whatever crazy stuff he wants during the game- but it's the job of the refs to control that, and they do- he gets T'd up and told to sit down. At the end of the day, part of what makes him so great is that intensity. As a Celtics fan, I'm gonna stand by my man here, through the good, the bad, and the ugly.

For the first time since 1975... There are 4 Celtics on the All Star team.

Back then it was John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, Dave Cowens and Paul Silas.

Today, obviously, it's Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo.

I've been a fan of Paul Pierce since he was a rookie on the Celtics, when I was in 7th grade... And it's moments like this that kind of make me pause and put things in perspective. That these guys we're watching now can measure up at all to the legends that are Havlicek, White, Cowens and Silas is a mind boggling thing. It makes me realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing team to root for. I'm watching history happen, and I try to always keep that in mind when I watch them, because it's not going to last forever.

(picture source)

KG refuses autograph to Lakers ball boy... And this is somehow Andrew Bogut's business.

Wait. Andrew Bogut really talks about KG with Buck's ball boys? 

He must still be mad.