The Cleveland Cavaliers were left increasingly short-handed after Timofey Mozgov hurt his shoulder during Thursday night’s victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Russian center will be out for at least the next 10-14 days, joining fellow starters Kyrie Irving and Iman Shumpert on the sidelines. If the accusation levied against J.R. Smith is true, though, the Cavaliers will have much more to worry about than playing with an ever-depleted roster.
According to the New York Daily News, Cleveland’s streaky scorer allegedly choked a high-schooler in New York City earlier this month after he was heckled for being traded from the New York Knicks.
Former New York Knicks guard J.R. Smith has been accused of choking a 19-year-old high school student in Chelsea after the younger man quipped about the hoopster’s trade to Cleveland.
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The teen, Justin Brown, who wears braces and hails from Harlem, was with pals who chided Smith for ignoring their fan request for a photo.
Smith is seen on a cell phone video walking away from the group, sources said.
“That’s why New York kicked you out, yo!” Brown remarked.
Brown told cops that after the verbal brush, Smith, who is 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds, checked him against the exterior of the building and put his hands around Brown’s neck, police sources said.
The Daily News also reports that police were notified of the incident three days after it initially occurred. Smith’s lawyer, Alex Spiro, told the paper that the allegation against his client is “completely false.”
In April, the notoriously party-loving veteran told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin that he’s become especially leery of getting into confrontations when out late at night.
“For me, I feel like a target every time,” Smith said after Cavs shootaround Friday in advance of their game with the Boston Celtics. “So, I try to handle myself with care when I’m out and about. It’s one of those situations when you’re out at 4 in the morning — I’m not saying it’s [Copeland’s] fault by any means — but when you’re out at 4 in the morning, there’s no way you should be walking anywhere.
Those comments came in the wake of Chris Copeland’s stabbing and Thabo Sefolosha’s subsequent brush with New York City Police – which, coincidentally, took place mere steps away from the recent event involving Smith. The pizza restaurant where the fracas purportedly occurred is down the block from night club 1 Oak; the incident centering around Sefolosha transpired just outside the trendy hangout. The Daily News reports that it’s unclear if Smith had been at 1 Oak before running into Brown and his friends.
Ever since his acquisition in January, those inside Cleveland’s organization have spoke glowingly of the 30-year-old’s work ethic and overall disposition. David Blatt called him “a dream” to coach, and Smith says he’d “run through a wall” for the Cavaliers’ once-embattled head man.
Despite those sentiments and Smith’s much-improved play, his brief time with Cavaliers hasn’t been met without controversy. He was suspended two games in the postseason for a vicious hit to face of Boston Celtics forward Jae Crowder, and even doled-out a flagrant foul to the Atlanta Hawks’ during recent exhibition play. Save for those questionable at best on-court antics, though, Smith has been a model citizen in Cleveland.
We’ll keep you updated as news on this developing story becomes available.
(Via New York Daily News, via ESPN)
