"The Game Inside the Game!"

"That don't work son! I'm from where you from!" 

Kevin Garnett has always been my favorite player in the NBA because of the passion that he plays with. Don't get it twisted bruh, all of that passion comes right at you and when it does it's comes out verbally as well. That's the way the game is supposed to be played. So when LeBron laughed in his face during their 93-79 win over the Celtics in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals that was called "backing a boy up off of you!" It's standard hood protocol! I tripped because I saw so many people on Twitter that were actually upset with LeBron for laughing at KG because they felt like he was being disrespectful. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Let's keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! Every single person that felt that way grew up in the suburbs! Point plank!! When kids first learn how to play ball in the hood, they are taught by the older kids that the game is played between the ears. See everyone in the hood has talent, speed, agility and quickness. So the playing field/court many times is level. How can a kid get an advantage? By getting inside of the other guy’s head. KG is the king at doing that bruh!

It is as simple as that. If you want to compete in the hood you have to be able to hold your own. Playing in the ghetto is where the best games are played. That's why you see guys that have been able to escape the hood and move to the suburbs take their kids back to the hood to play ball. It's the only way you're going to know if your kid is good enough! Ballin' some nerdy kids in the suburbs where everybody get's a turn and is told that they're doing a great job means absolutely nothing. Can he ball with some kid talking about his momma and telling him how bad he's about to school him? Can he ball with a kid in his face telling him that he's garbage for the sake of saying it and none of the adults in the building are going to stop the abuse. That's the litmus test bruh! All of these guys in the league have passed that test already.

 If you aren’t strong mentally you won’t make it. So kids in that environment have learned to be tough early on because those are the ground rules. You can’t afford to get labeled as the kid that can’t take the trash talk because you’ll get targeted daily. Guys will intentionally go after you just to break you down mentally. Those are the rules and they don't stop once you get to the NBA bruh.

It’s more than just a game it’s about who’s tougher between the ears. Those that are the toughest mentally usually become the better players. Those that aren’t, typically quit before they got out of middle school. That’s just the way it is. This is the way guys are taught to play the game. The question has always been, how can I get an edge on a guy that has the same amount of talent that I have? There’s no secret formula or magic potion, just rattle him until he breaks. KG has always been a master at doing that!

Also the game is a lot more fun to play when everyone understands the rules of engagement. The weak players were eliminated in middle school so that the real trash talkers make it to high school. Then the celebrations and talk gets even louder and more harsh. By the time guys make it to college it’s at a fever pitch. Why do you think that the Miami Hurricanes were so successful in the 1980’s through 2001? In a span of twenty years they won 5 national championships! Yes, they were obviously better than other teams but they also got into their opponents heads and wore them down.

 It's much easier to beat guys that are internalizing the taunting and taking it personal. It’s called “gamesmanship”. In the hood it's called, "backing a boy up off of you!" I can beat you as long as I’ve got you doubting yourself and many times that means trying to embarrass you in the process. If I'm successful at doing that, I'll beat you 100% of the time. So that's why LeBron laughed at ole boy and got into HIS head. It the Game inside the Game bruh!

Muhammad Ali was the king at doing it! Michael Irving “The Playmaker” and Deion Sanders “Prime Time” were very affective at doing it as well. Remember when Billy “White Shoes” Johnson would do the crazy legs in the end zone and people would go crazy? That made the game more fun to play and watch. It's entertainment isn’t it? But more importantly he was trying to get into the other teams head. Why are people trying to take the attitude out of the game? That’s what makes the Game the Game!

I hear commentators so many times demonizing players for celebrating or talking trash by saying that they’re disrespecting the other team. That’s exactly what they’re trying to do! They’re trying to get into the heads of the opponent so that they can WIN the game. However, the only people that make comments like that are people that didn’t grow up in the Hood. If the ghetto didn't exist we wouldn't be watching the NBA because there wouldn't be any talent in the league bruh!

If you took all of the guys out of the league that grew up in the ghetto that clearly understand the rules of engagement it wouldn't even be a televised sport! So for all of these folks that are offended by LeBron laughing at KG I'm just glad you didn't grow up in my hood because you never would have played organized or street ball because you would have been too soft to get on the court or field. Also, your folks would have gone broke trying to replace your sneakers every night because boyz would have taken them from you daily. Believe me, LeBron laughing in KG's face only fueled his fire for Game 2 bruh!


Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport