New York Knicks swingman JR Smith maintains that he didn't intentionally hit Washington Wizards guard Glen Rice Jr. in the groin during Tuesday night's game at Madison Square Garden.
Smith contends that it is his reputation, not his actions on Tuesday, that landed him a one-game suspension (served on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons).
"At this stage of my career with all the suspensions and stuff like that, once I knew I had to make the phone call something was going to come down from it," Smith said, via Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn told the Associated Press that Smith's reputation was not a factor in the league's decision.
Regardless, Smith says that the play was an accident.
"I was trying to clear space to get as close to the basket as I could to get the shot off," Smith said. "It definitely wasn't anything intentional."
"I seen him on the floor," Smith added. "I was trying to figure out what happened. Was he bleeding or something or what? The ref didn't call it. The ref called a foul on him.
"I didn't really see what happened."
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