Friday Grudge Match: Kevin Garnett vs. Kevin McHale, NBA Eastern Conference vs. NBA Western Conference, & Charles Oakley, vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, & Anderson Varejao,

Friday Grudge Match is a chance for you to weigh-in on the many high-profile beefs and disputes in the NBA. Read the fight card below and tell us, who, in your expert opinion, is winning the beef and why.

Main Event: Kevin Garnett vs. Kevin McHale

Garnett and McHale once enjoyed a close relationship, a student-master dynamic. The Big Ticket, a basketball historian, respected his GM’s legacy as a Boston Celtic. And McHale looked out for his protégé because he saw greatness in a young Garnett.

Over the last few years, the power shifted in their relationship. McHale, due to his ineptitude, no longer had the respect of KG or fans. And Garnett, the quiet and loyal soldier, became bigger than the Minnesota franchise. He transcended the Wolves.

The student, Garnett, rebelled against his master, publicly questioning McHale’s personnel decisions. Their relationship soured and became a cold war until McHale finally dealt Garnett to Boston on Monday.

The Winner: Garnett. He’s reborn in Boston, while McHale will soon move on from Minnesota.   

Undercard Bout #1: Eastern Conference Teams vs. Western Conference Teams.

The east is least. The poor man’s NBA. The junior-varsity squad. The Eastern Conference has certainly taken heat for being inferior to the Western Conference.

Has the balance of power shifted with Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rashard Lewis, and Zach Randolph joining Boston, Orlando, and New York? Will the Eastern Conference’s days as the NBA’s ugly step sister finally end?

The Winner: The Western Conference. The west still is still superior, but the east is improving.

Undercard Bout #2: Charles Oakley vs. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Drew Gooden, and Anderson Varejao.

Back in the day, Oakley was the NBA’s toughest man. He fought, or laid the smack down, on fellow NBA-ers Tyrone Hill and Jeff McInnis because the two offended him in social settings away from the game.

Oakley, who has been retired for three years, had no problem putting opponents on their back. At 43-years old, he believes he’s better than most NBA forwards.

“Look at how bad Cleveland was in the NBA Finals," explains Oakley. "They had big guys who couldn’t move and can’t shoot. They never knocked Tony Parker on his butt.

The Winner: Oakley. I’m convinced the retired forward is somewhat crazy. But he has a point about Cleveland’s bigs letting Parker waltz through the lane. 

Got a grudge with Friday Grudge match? Tell us about it in the comment box below. Next Friday come back to HoopsVibe the Blog, where we’ll hit you off with the results and a fresh round of grudges to drop an opinion on.

Click here to read and subscribe to Oly Sandor’s NBA Blog.