Last year’s NBA Playoffs seem like a long time ago, but for Celtics forward Jae Crowder, old feelings seem to die hard.
The forward is getting set for the first meeting tomorrow night between the Cavs and Celtics in Boston, and today LarryBrownSports.com wrote that Crowder wants Cavs forward J.R. Smith to say ‘sorry’ for the injury he suffered during the Cavs-Celtics playoff series.
If you don’t recall, Crowder suffered a sprained ACL and bone bruise in his left knee after he fell back after Smith backhanded him to the face in game four
Smith hasn’t said he’s sorry over the incident, and today Crowder talked about it, as he’s still waiting for an apology.
“I hope he apologizes [Tuesday], to be honest with you,” said Crowder per Chris Forsberg of ESPN. “I hope it wasn’t intentional. But if he doesn’t [apologize], then we’ll play ball.”
Fortunately for Crowder, the injury did not require surgery, and he was able to return healthily to the Celtics with some rest and rehab over the offseason. Smith, meanwhile, was suspended two games for the punch, which he served in the next round against the Chicago Bulls.
But the hatchet is not truly buried until Smith apologizes, especially for such a blatant and dangerous play like that. Though that first-round series was marred by bush-league plays from both sides, most notably Kevin Love suffering a season-ending shoulder injury at the hands of Kelly Olynyk, even Olynyk reached out to Love after the incident to clear the air and apologize.
If Smith sticks to his guns and holds his tongue on Tuesday, we can safely expect to see some fire emojis on the court when Crowder, the one-man defensive wrecking crew, inevitably asks to guard Smith, the freewheeling flinger
We shall see tomorrow night if there’s bad blood from either side, or if both teams kiss and makeup for bad blood from the playoffs of last season.
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