Mark Jackson is mad at the media. Andrew Bogut was mad at Jackson. And the media is probably mad at the pregame food spread.
Bogut has missed the Warriors’ last three games, and before the third game, Jackson discussed the injury. Diamond Leung of the San Jose Mercury News:Jackson said before the game he did not know how Bogut got hurt before offering these comments:
“As far as I know, it was not on the court,” Jackson said. “It wasn’t in practice. It wasn’t in a game. I’m not really sure. It may have been sleeping, and I say that in all seriousness, but it’s important for us to make sure we continue to treat him, it’s legitimate, and then let’s be smart with it. We’re looking ahead at a whole week of rest and recovery, and we need him.”
So, of course, the reporters then went to Bogut. Bogut, via Rusty Simmons of SFGate:
“I just wanted to address that the sleeping comment is absolutely ridiculous. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t know if I should read between the lines with it. The frustrating thing is: I don’t know when I hurt it against Utah (on Jan. 31). I just know after that game, it was a little sore. It hasn’t gotten better.”
“I don’t know where (the sleeping comment) came from or if he heard that from the trainer or from somebody, but it’s definitely not the case,” Bogut said. “It’s not like I just woke up after sleeping on my shoulder wrong. I have a bone bruise and swelling in my shoulder. That coming from sleeping is very highly unlikely, I believe.”
You can see why Bogut would be upset. He’s suffered multiple serious injuries and has developed a reputation for being injury prone – maybe even fragile. If people believed he got hurt sleeping, he’d look even worse.
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After the game, Jackson addressed the back-and-forth.
Jackson, via Bay Area Sports Guy:
Jackson later said he’d spoken with Bogut and that the issue was nothing, and I’ll take his word on that.
I’ll also guess Jackson will get over his gripes with the media, because it seems he’s just blaming the media to distract fans. As far as I’ve seen, the media didn’t spin Jackson’s comments to describe Bogut’s injury as phony (though, it’s possible a question to Bogut did just that and elicited his strong reaction).
But here’s what I can’t wrap my head around: Why was Jackson speculating Bogut hurt himself sleeping in the first place? Even if Jackson shouts from the rooftops that the injury is legitimate, I can’t imagine Bogut enjoys that theory being floated – especially if, as Bogut claims, it’s not true.