After Boston’s Paul Pierce burned the Jazz for 26 points in Monday night’s 110-107 overtime win over Utah, he suggested he’d prevailed in a personal rivalry with DeMarre Carroll.
Pierce did not explain, however.
"I’ll let you ask him," he told the Boston Globe.
Prior to Tuesday morning’s practice, Carroll smiled slightly when asked about Pierce’s comment.
"It’s just a summer thing," Carroll said, explaining he often works out with Kevin Garnett and Pierce in Los Angeles during the offseason.
"I’ve been killing him in the summer, and he said I was fouling. Once we get in a real game, he said, ‘I’m going to be able to get what I want.’ "
Against the Jazz, Pierce missed a 20-footer as time expired in regulation, but he scored seven straight points in overtime to lead the Celtics to victory.
"He had the refs on his side so, what he said before, it came to life," said Carroll, who noted his rivalry with Pierce and Garnett is not fueled by animosity.
"They really love me and really speak highly of me. They think of me like their little brother. But when we step on the court, I ain’t friends."
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Williams faces Hawks
The Jazz hope to snap a two-game losing streak Wednesday night against Atlanta.
Because he missed the Hawks’ 103-95 win over Utah on Jan. 11 with a sore knee, it will be the first time Marvin Williams faces his former teammates.
The Jazz traded Devin Harris to the Hawks in exchange for Williams last July.
Asked about playing against his former teammates, Williams shrugged.
"I haven’t thought too much about it," he said. "When we went down to Atlanta, I was more excited just to see everybody. [Wednesday] night will be just a regular game to me."
Williams said his closest friends on the Hawks are Josh Smith, Al Horford and Jeff Teague.
"I was there for so long, I’m real close to all those guys," he said. "But we’ve lost two in a row now, so I just want to help us get a win."
Korver returns
Along with Harris, who scored 24 points in Atlanta’s earlier win over the Jazz, Kyle Korver will return to Utah.
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