“I think the fact that I am trying to–I don’t want to use the word ‘hiding’ guys–but we switch a lot of things, we try to be proactive,” he said. “Maybe we need to scale back a little bit in those areas. But I don’t want to take our aggressiveness away. I think we are just doing it in spurts.”

Add this note to the pile of instances when trash talking gets to be too much. While Paul Pierce attributed it to competitiveness, Stephen Jackson felt it was more personal. "I respect them as a team, they're a great team and they play hard, but when they get to a point where they get to disrespecting people and it's not about basketball, that's where I have a problem," said Jackson, who has had his share of off-the-court issues during his 10 seasons. "Everybody knows me as a basketball player, but everybody knows me off the court, too. So if it's about basketball, I'm cool. I respect everybody on their team, and I respect them as being a good team, but when it gets to the point where you're disrespecting us as a man, that's another problem.

“Certain things were said, quotes by certain people, and there’s no need for me to drop names, they know what was said,’’ Jackson said. “It turned disrespectful when certain things were said. You can be emotional, talk to your teammates and do all that, but when it’s getting personal and you’re directing certain things to people as far as their manhood, that’s when a problem comes up. And I guarantee you, if I wasn’t in this gym, that wouldn’t have been said to me.’’

Blatche was noticeably upset and appeared to hold back tears as he explained his encounter with Garnett, which nearly got heated when Garnett approached Blatche and tried to wrestle the ball away from him. Blatche appeared to throw an elbow as Garnett continued to taunt him. Blatche later flung Garnett into a cameraman and sent him to the foul line for two free throws. Garnett smiled as he was helped off the ground.

"I see myself as defending myself as a player. I'm a man, just like they a man. If a man is talking to me this close to my face," Blatche said, moving his hand toward his cheek. "I'm going to say something back. He has to respect me just like I respect him. I just, 'Get up out of my face.' He was this close in my face - I can feel his lips touching my cheek - I wasn't bragging saying 'Ah we winning.' It was 'Back up.' "

It is official. The Thrashers called up Chris Chelios from AHL Chicago. He will join the team in Columbus in time for Thursday’s game and will be in the lineup.

Coach John Anderson said that a call-up was option with Christoph Schubert being out 3-5 weeks. The team’s current three-game losing streak and Chelios’ 25 years of NHL experience were the reasons for the move.

“I don’t like the way the team has been playing lately,” Thrashers GM Don Waddell said. “We are a desperate team right now and we have to get back on track soon. … With the situation now, our backs are against the wall. Bringing in a veteran presence made more sense than bringing in a younger guy.”

Anderson said Chelios’ leadership will be counted on.

“Certainly, he’s played a leadership role on championship teams,” Anderson said of the three-time Stanley Cup winner. ” That’s what we’ll use him for. We have lots of tools here and we are going to try to use every one of them, whatever it takes to make the playoffs.”