The Warriors vs Rockets battle is heating up. Game 6 is gonna be as entertaining as it gets. But not just due to the on-court clash – there’s way too much happening around the whole series off it too. Especially when it comes to the Rockets’ “press it until it hurts” strategy against Stephen Curry’s thumb. It got so severe, that Steve Kerr went as far as to lodge a complaint against Dillon Brooks & Co. But for Stephen A. Smith, it’s all part of the game.

While on First Take, Jay Williams and SAS were going back and forth regarding this topic. NBA’s ‘hit-and-release’ rule states that “after the shooter releases the ball, contact with the shooter’s hand during the shooter’s follow-through can be deemed legal, provided that the contact is incidental, and it is not hostile, nor overly physical.” But SAS can’t go as far as to blame Ime Udoka’s young’uns for that. If anything, all’s fair when you’re guarding the best shooter of all time.

“If you got a hurt thumb, hurt ankle, whatever, whatever debilitating issue you have. It’s going to be attacked… The man’s thumb is compromised. On his shooting hand, the greatest shooter that ever lived might be compromised. And somebody’s not going to try to exploit that style,” said SAS on First Take.

Udoka revealed pretty early that they’d be doing anything to win against the Warriors. But it will be fair to say that nobody expected their squad to get their hands dirty so readily. Stephen Curry‘s thumb has been his de facto Achilles heel this season. He kept saying that “every time it got better, it got hit again.” Putting two and two together, Udoka knew the primary strategy heading into game 5- thumbs up to target the injured thumb. The culprit was Dillon Brooks.

Brooks was seen targeting that thumb time and time again. Whether it was to block Steph’s attempted 3, or just to be as cheeky about it and get away with it like a thief in the night. Kerr admitted that “they know what they’re doing” and that he’s “confident the next year the league will fix it because its only a matter of time before somebody breaks a thumb or breaks a hand or whatever.” But SAS doesn’t see eye-to-eye with the Warriors HC on this. In fact, ESPN is more annoyed at Kerr for complaining too much.

Stephen A. Smith calls out Steve Kerr for naivety

Are there petitions to call Steve Kerr a top-3 coach of all time? The Dub Nation certainly thinks so. Even if not as a coach, his legacy as a player combined should be enough to justify it. But for all the pedigree he boasts, how did the Warriors’ gaffer not expect the Rockets to come out all guns blazing? For SAS, that was as ridiculous as Brooks targeting the vulnerable thumb.

“I think that Steve Kerr is one of the top six greatest coaches in the history of basketball. I think he’s phenomenal. And I think he’s a good man, very conscientious. But sometimes this goody two shoes sanctimonious approach that he has, it really rakes my nerves. All right. Like he’s so above the fray. This man is a champion, champion in Chicago, champion in San Antonio, champion as a coach in Golden State. He knows what comes with it,” said Smith on the panel.

This was the answer that sparked Stephen A. Smith, as well as some other observers, who believed Dillon Brooks was correct in targeting Curry’s injury. But to be fair to Kerr, he gave all the credit to Udoka’s young boys for doing whatever it takes. “Can’t blame them at all for doing whatever it takes to win the game. It’s the highest level of competition on Earth and so it is what it is.” So it does seem like Kerr’s animosity is directed more towards the NBA’s vague rulebook.

So, Stephen A. does think that Dillon Brooks is justified in targeting that thumb. At the same time, Kerr shouldn’t really be pissed at the fact that a hungry Rockets team proved that they’re ready to get their hands dirty if it aids their path to success. Do you see Stephen Curry’s thumb playing a part in the all-important Game 6?