SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Stephen Curry went down with a left foot injury late in the first half and Golden State coach Steve Kerr didn’t like Marcus Smart’s lunging move at the reigning NBA scoring champ.
Smart got an earful from Kerr, then they chatted again after the Boston Celtics beat the Warriors 110-88 yesterday.
“I thought it was a dangerous play. I thought Marcus dove into Steph’s knee,” Kerr said.
“That’s what I was upset about. Lot of respect for Marcus, he’s a great player, gamer, competitor. I coached him in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game, we’re good. I thought it was a dangerous play, just let him know.”
Curry was injured with 4:19 remaining in the second quarter along the sideline while scrambling for a loose ball as Smart made a diving lunge on the play and landed on the reigning scoring champion’s leg. Curry grimaced in pain and got up but hobbled along before exiting on the next dead ball moments later.
That came when Smart made another aggressive play, receiving a Flagrant 1 foul 4:09 before halftime when he leapt and caught his leg on Klay Thompson’s shooting arm.
Kerr said Curry, who had three points on one-for-four shooting, was having an MRI exam.
Rookie Moses Moody also injured his right shoulder.
Warriors forward Juan Toscano-Anderson said Smart wanted the ball but might have been able to use more caution.
“I don’t think it was a dirty play,” Toscano-Anderson said. “We all know that’s Marcus Smart, though, that’s how he plays, he’s gritty.”
