Celtics’ Jae Crowder wants an apology from Cavs’ J.R. Smith after playoff injury
Cavaliers shooting guard J.R. Smith ended Jae Crowder’s season in dramatic fashion last year and the Celtics’ small forward is still waiting for an apology eight months later. The unresolved tension stems from Game 4 of the first-round playoff series between the Celtics and Cavs in which Smith threw a backhanded slap at Crowder as they jockeyed for position on a rebound.
Crowder suffered a sprained left ACL while falling to the ground after the hit, effectively ending his season a couple quarters before the Cavs completed a series sweep at TD Garden.
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Smith was ejected for the shot to Crowder’s face, but claimed the swing was accidental following the win. With the Celtics and Cavs set to face off for the first time since the original incident on Tuesday night in Boston, Crowder is looking for some remorse from the veteran shooting guard.
“I hope he apologizes [Tuesday], to be honest with you,’’ Crowder said Monday before later adding, “’’I hope it wasn’t intentional. But if he doesn’t [apologize], then we’ll play ball.’’
Those comments should add an extra level of intrigue surrounding the rematch of two of the best Eastern Conference teams in early stages of the 2015-16 campaign.
Celtics forward Kelly Olynyk will also be watched closely in the affair after he ended Kevin Love’s season in that same Game 4 after getting tangled up with the Cavs’s power forward on a rebound attempt and injuring his shoulder.
Olynyk apologized to Love over the summer, and he believes Love holds no ill will towards him for the incident.
“I apologized to [Love]. He texted me back. So I think we’re all right right now,’’ Olynyk said.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens says his team is focused on performing this season rather than anything from last postseason.
“Last year was last year,’’ Stevens said. “I don’t know how guys on either side feel about it. I think, obviously Love’s injury was really unfortunate. We all know Kelly and we all know that he didn’t intend to hurt him. We were really fortunate that Jae, when he went down, didn’t have anything more serious than he had. But the game can get competitive. But it’s a new season for us and we’re focused on trying to play our best basketball.’’
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