Celtics
Just crossed the line and we all know I don’t do line crossing.”
Marcus Smart didn’t play a minute in Sunday’s game between the Celtics and Wizards at TD Garden.
But the longtime Boston guard did find himself involved in a back-and-forth with a fan during the Celtics’ eventual 124-90 win over Washington.
During the game, a fan appeared to say something to Smart behind Washington’s bench — leading to the two exchanging words before the fan was escorted out by TD Garden security.
“Just crossed the line and we all know I don’t do line crossing,” Smart said of the fan after the game. “That was it. We move on. Unfortunate, you never wanna see that, especially for a guy who’s coming back, and who’s giving the city everything he has, but it is what it is. Take the spirit, we’ll take it. Onto the next one.”
While Smart was at one point held back by his teammates during the exchange, the 31-year-old veteran downplayed the whole event.
“Pointing him out to security,’ Smart said. ‘Just trying to get him out before it escalated more than what it was. But that’s over with, it’s done with. On to the next one.”
Despite that brief skirmish, Smart was once again serenaded by Celtics fans throughout the night — with chants of “We Want Marcus!” heard several times on the broadcast from Causeway Street.
Smart — who was acquired by the Wizards in a deal with Memphis back in February — is healthy, but did not play in Sunday’s game. He has appeared in 14 games so far with Washington since the trade, averaging 9.3 points and 2.5 assists per game.
“Find out on the fly,” Smart said of not playing. “You always want to play, but at the same time, it was good to just take all the love in and not have to be out there focused on the game, too. So it was a little mix between both.”
Smart, who played the first nine seasons of his career with the Celtics, is still held in high regard by Boston’s fanbase, given his scrappy style of play and defensive intensity.
Even though Boston’s decision to trade Smart did allow the Celtics to acquire Kristaps Porzingis — and put them on a path to win a championship last season — the former 2014 first-round pick routinely receives ovations whenever he makes an appearance at TD Garden.
“Flashbacks, baby,” Smart said, per the Associated Press. “The love is always there. From both sides – myself and the fans, the city. It’s definitely emotional coming back and you try to hold it back. But I love it. I love every last bit of it. I’m a part of the city — nine years. A kid to a young man.”
While the Celtics (58-20) and Wizards (17-61) stand on very opposite ends of the standings in the Eastern Conference, Smart still feels a deep connection to both Boston and many of his former teammates.
“It’s always good to keep in touch with those guys,” he said. “Grew up with those guys. We went through a lot of battles — blood, sweat and tears. A few of those guys came to my mom’s funeral. So it’s a deeper bond than just basketball between us.”
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