Pierce, Garnett respond to trash talk from LeBron James

(UPI) -- Not long ago, LeBron James said he had no beef with any teams from the Eastern Conference.

That changed when he began trash-talking the newly-minted Brooklyn Nets players, earned in a trade with the Boston Celtics.

Even after beating the Celtics in the 2011 and 2012 postseason, James still had bad things to say about the team, especially in responding to Ray Allen leaving the Celtics to join the Heat in 2012.

James vented about Allen's career choice and the deal that ensued, sending Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Nets, pointing out that Allen was vilified, while the former Celtics were not.

"I think the first thing I thought was 'wow, Ray got killed for leaving Boston and now these guys are leaving Boston,'" James said.

"I think it's OK, I didn't mind it. But there were a couple guys who basically [expletive] on Ray for leaving and now they're leaving.

"That's the nature of our business, man. I don't know what Boston was going through at the end of the day. I know Ray had to make the best decision for him and his family and his career. Doc, KG and Paul did that as well. You can't criticize someone who does something that's best for their family."

This bitterness is probably also tied to the backlash James himself faced when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010.

"I can relate to that, you think so? I'm the No. 1 relator," James said. "I've been through it all, I know all about it."

But Garnett said that this is not something James needs to concern himself with.

"Tell LeBron to worry about Miami," Garnett said. "He has nothing to do with Celtic business."

"I left Boston?" Pierce said when asked about James' comments, clearly noting he did not leave Boston as a free agent.