Steve Kerr indicated before Monday evening’s game in Dallas that the Golden State Warriors were “unprepared” to begin the 2017-2018 NBA season and the results were certainly spotty in the team’s first three games. However, the reigning champs righted the ship in a hurry against the Mavericks to the tune of a 133-103 victory and all appeared right with the world for the prohibitive title favorites.
There was a bit of a hiccup, though, and it came on the heels of a bold decision from rookie Jordan Bell. With the Warriors already sitting on a lead that was out of reach, Bell thought it wise to throw an alley-oop… to himself.
Warriors rookie Jordan Bell went off the backboard for an alley-oop TO HIMSELF… https://t.co/iqwSswREpu
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) October 24, 2017
This isn’t the first time that a self pass of this nature appeared in an NBA game but, with a lead of that size, it was probably a bit ill-advised from the first-year big man. While the dunk was certainly electric, it reportedly produced an immediate apology from Kerr to Mavs coach Rick Carlisle when the final buzzer sounded.
When final buzzer sounded, Steve Kerr walked to Rick Carlisle to apologize for Jordan Bell’s off-the-glass dunk late in game with Ws up 24.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 24, 2017
At least one report, though, indicated that Carlisle was still harboring feelings of displeasure about the play.
Steve Kerr tried to apologize to Rick Carlisle postgame about the Jordan Bell dunk, Carlisle zipped right past, displeased.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2017
But on the other side of things, at least one member of the Warriors seemed happy with Bell’s evening, as Draymond Green praised after the game. Bell saw the floor for 10 minutes and recorded six points on 3-for-3 shooting with four rebounds, two assists, and a block.
https://twitter.com/_marcusd2_/status/922665180256964608
It is easy to see why Carlisle would be aggrieved with a play like that, even with full knowledge that Kerr wouldn’t be encouraging that type of thing from a rookie like Bell. In the heat of a moment, no coach would be thrilled with the play and, even if Carlisle isn’t heated in the future when the tensions of NBA play wear off, it makes sense for both Kerr to apologize and Carlisle to be wary in his acceptance.
