Marcus Smart got into it with a Celtics fan in his return to TD Garden on Sunday night.
That fan, Smart said after the game, “crossed the line.”
Smart, now with the Washington Wizards, was spotted leaning over the team’s bench and getting into it with a fan during their 124-90 loss to Boston. Things got a bit heated, and Smart had to be held back by teammates before the fan was escorted out of the arena. At one point, Smart tried to walk around the bench to actually approach the fan, but he was held back and appeared to think better of it.
It’s unclear what was actually said to spark the altercation, but Smart was clear that it was a step too far.
“We all know I don’t do line crossing,” Smart said, via the Boston Herald. “And that was it. We move on. [It’s] unfortunate. You never want to see that, especially for a guy who’s coming back and who’s given this city everything he has. But it is what it is.”
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The Celtics selected Smart with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft out of Oklahoma State. He spent his first nine years in the league with the franchise before he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies ahead of the 2023 campaign. He was then dealt to Washington ahead of the deadline this season.
In total, the former Defensive Player of the Year has averaged 9 points and 3.2 assists per game this season. He has one year left on his four-year, $76 million deal.
Smart, who missed out on the Celtics’ championship run in his first season away from the franchise last season, helped the team make it to the NBA Finals once and the Eastern Conference finals six times. He did not play in Sunday night’s blowout loss.
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The Wizards are 17-61 record with four games left in the regular season. They have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the second worst in the league behind only the Utah Jazz. The Wizards have already been eliminated from playoff contention and will miss the postseason for the sixth time in the last seven years. They are in contention to land the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft this summer, however, which would presumably land them Duke star Cooper Flagg.
While one fan didn’t seem to appreciate Smart’s return, he appeared to be the outlier.
“Flashbacks, baby,” Smart said, via the Herald. “No, but it’s always great. The fans have always shown love, and it definitely brings back memories. I know my wife is over there, trying not to cry. It’s always a great feeling, but it definitely brought back some memories.”