Steve Kerr comes to Jalen Brunson's defense a day after Knicks guard jeered by Pistons fans

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Steve Kerr comes to Jalen Brunson's defense a day after Knicks guard jeered by Pistons fans

2025-04-26 07:33 Last Updated At：07:40

DETROIT (AP) — New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was booed almost every time he touched the ball in Game 3 against the Detroit Pistons.

Brunson heard much worse than that Thursday night during a win that gave the Knicks a 2-1 lead in the first-round Eastern Conference playoff series.

Fans at Little Caesars Arena directed a three-word chant at Brunson — beginning with a four-letter profanity and ending with his name — on numerous occasions. Golden State's Draymond Green heard the same phrase in Houston this week, and on Friday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr came to the defense of both players and scolded the fans.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau wasn't concerned about Brunson getting his feelings hurt.

“To Jalen, those are cheers,” Thibodeau said. “He lives for that stuff.”

Brunson said he hadn't been subjected to verbal abuse like that previously in seven NBA seasons.

“Do I think it's cheers? No,” he said. “But it’s just another way to get me focused and poised.”

The Pistons put the NBA's fan code of conduct, which prohibits obscene language, on videoboards throughout the night, but that did nothing to stop the chant.

Rockets fans yelled the same ugly words at Green during Houston's Game 2 win on Wednesday night — and Kerr has heard enough. Guidance on fan behavior is also shown on the big screen before games in Houston.

Kerr lamented that fans often use foul language at games, adding that players are held to certain standards of behavior and fans should be more respectful.

“It feels like we’re stepping way over the line," he said. "I know our fans aren’t going to do that. I would just implore fans everywhere to not cross the line. You can yell at the players and you can say a lot of things, but I just find it disturbing, 20,000 fans yelling (a profanity) to a player. There are kids all over the arena. Like, what are we teaching our kids?

“And I understand it’s an emotional time when you come to a game and you want your team to win, but the league asks the players to watch their decorum, I think we should ask our fans to do the same.”

Rockets star Dillon Brooks said he appreciated the fans for being engaged and doing their part to create a home-court advantage.

“I like it. It was good. Let the fans get going,” Brooks said of the taunting directed at Green. “Anything to get our fans going is great to hear the noise, to hear the energy being built within the arena.”

Golden State guard Brandin Podziemski said most people know what the line is, but acknowledged it gets stepped over by fans.

“I heard it was worse in Boston in the ’22 Finals than it was last game,” Podziemski said. “But for me I try not to worry about any fan, if they’re talking to me or not, I just try to go out there and play.”

This story has been corrected. A previous version included a quote that was mistakenly attributed to Steve Kerr.

AP Sports Writers Janie McCauley in San Francisco and Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major New York City hospitals

NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.

The strike was taking place at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with picket lines forming. The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to New York State Nurses Association.

“After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections,” the union said in a statement issued Monday. “Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses’ health benefits.”

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centers hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try and fill the labor gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimize disruptions.” Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," Montefiore spokesperson Joe Solmonese said Monday after the strike had started. "We remain resolute in our commitment to providing safe and seamless care, regardless of how long the strike may last.”

New York-Presbyterian accused the union of staging a strike to “create disruption,” but said in a statement that it has taken steps to ensure patients receive the care they need.

"We’re ready to keep negotiating a fair and reasonable contract that reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play, and also recognizes the challenging realities of today’s healthcare environment,” the statement said.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical center is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety. The union says hospitals have given nurses unmanageable workloads.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like a an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence.

The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands overall are too costly.

Nurses voted to authorize the strike last month.

Both New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani had expressed concern about the possibility of the strike. As the strike deadline neared, Mamdani urged both sides to keep negotiating and reach a deal that “both honors our nurses and keeps our hospitals open.”

“Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable,” Mamdani said.

State Attorney General Letitia James voiced similar support, saying "nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients’ well-being, and a fair contract.”

The last major nursing strike in the city was only three years ago, in 2023. That work stoppage, at Mount Sinai and Montefiore, was short, lasting three days. It resulted in a deal raising pay 19% over three years at those hospitals.

It also led to promised staffing improvements, though the union and hospitals now disagree about how much progress has been made, or whether the hospitals are retreating from staffing guarantees.