Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was not happy with Marcus Smart after the Boston Celtics guard dove for a loose ball in the first half of Wednesday’s game and in turn injured superstar Steph Curry.
Smart seemingly made a fine basketball play, but Kerr was seen on the NBC Sports Boston broadcast having words with the Celtics guard. Curry exited the game with four minutes left in the second quarter and did not return due to what the team deemed left foot soreness.
Smart was asked about the incident immediately after the Celtics earned the 110-88 win, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage.
“Everybody who knows me knows I’m not trying to hurt anybody. I play hard, I leave it all on the line. I leave my life on the line on this court every single night,” Smart told NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin. “I made a play that I make every night and unfortunately, and it’s killing me right now, Steph got hurt. I hate to see anybody getting hurt, especially playing their heart out, man. I just wish that everything is alright.”
Smart shared the message from Kerr, as well.
“But Steve, you know, he was doing what he’s supposed to do, backing up his guy. He felt the way, which is understandable, you know,” Smart continued. “And me and Steve got a relationship from USA (Basketball) that we can talk like that. And afterwards he told me, ‘You know, I want you on my team. You’re one of those guys that everybody wants on your team. I had to back my guy up and it’s much respect to you guys.’ And that’s what it’s all about. Like I said, I hate that it happened and I feel really bad and I hope that he’s alright.”
Celtics head coach Ime Udoka acknowledged that he did not view Smart’s play as anything dirty or malicious.
“Well, the play that they were complaining about was totally legal. Not malicious at all to me,” Udoka said, as seen on NBC Sports Boston. “One guy dove for it, one guy reached for it and it was a loose ball on the floor. So I don’t think there was anything there to really complain about.
“And so obviously, the refs looked at it, I think, and we knew it was a legal play, good play, so weren’t really worried about that. You know, I told Marcus, don’t worry about that (with Kerr). Let me handle all that. They had some words, and our guys have the freedom to do that. If a coach is going to talk to them, they’re grown men. They can talk back. And so not really worried about that. … Steve said his piece, Marcus said what he said back and left it at that.”
Jaylen Brown added: “I looked at the play, we all saw the play, we didn’t think it was nothing dirty. That’s what Smart does. First to the floor, you know what I mean? It’s basketball. It’s unfortunate Steph got hurt and stuff like that, it was unintentional, but that’s what Marcus does. He’s the first to the floor every time. Both teams know that. So I don’t know what the controversy was about, of course, but you know, that’s what Smart does.”
The Celtics, who jumped to the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference, will return to the court Friday against the Sacramento Kings. Golden State has a few nights off before returning to action Sunday against the San Antonio Spurs.
