SAN FRANCISCO — 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 on Wednesday night.
“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 hell of a 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.”
Smart said he understood Kerr’s criticism, but insisted he would never intentionally hurt a fellow professional.
“(Kerr) is doing what any coach or person would do and that’s backing up his guys,” Smart said.
“Me and Steve have a relationship from USA basketball so he knows I’m never trying to hurt anybody. I hate to see any injury. I hope Steph’s alright.
“I didn’t even see him, just dove on the ball and tried to make a play. I’m really down right now about it.”
Smart added: “I know who I am, my team-mates and my colleagues know I’m not a dirty player.
“Unfortunately sometimes injuries happen. I’m sure I’m going to get called dirty. That’s their opinion.”
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 1-for-4 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.”
Draymond Green was whistled for a technical for arguing a foul called on Thompson against Smart at the 1:48 mark, with Green throwing his arms up in the air in disgust and yelling.
Jayson Tatum had 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead Boston, while Jalen Brown scored 14 of his 26 points in the first half. Smart wound up with 20 points on 8-of-12 shooting and eight assists.
The Warriors couldn’t keep up in their fourth straight home defeat to the Celtics and sixth of seven matchups in the Bay Area.
Boston’s stingy, top-rated defense held Golden State to a cold 29.3% in the first half and 37.2% overall as the Warriors were limited to 19 assists. Jordan Poole was 1 of 8 but recovered to scored a team-high 29 points.
This was a tough blow for Curry two days after he dazzled for 47 points on his 34th birthday in a 126-112 win against the Wizards on Monday.
Green came off the bench for a second straight game as he regains his strength from a back injury, his minutes increased from 20 to 22.
