BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 18: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers are separated by referee Brian Forte #45 during the second half at TD Garden on October 18, 2022 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Celtics' Marcus Smart on Joel Embiid: I Could've Cracked His Head Open, But I Didn't

Paul KasabianOct 18, 2022

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid had a small dust-up early in the third quarter of the C's' 126-117 season-opening win on Tuesday.

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Afterward, Smart offered some honest commentary on the play.

Jaylen Brown and Grant Williams backed up their teammate:

The fracas ended up being much ado about nothing.

James Harden hit the technical free throw, and Embiid hit a jumper to put the 76ers up 66-63, and that ended the sequence on that end of the court.

But it was all Celtics from there.

Boston outscored Philadelphia by 13 for the rest of the quarter en route to a nine-point win in a game where Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each scored 35 points.

Boston will now head to Miami for a matchup with the Heat on Friday. Philadelphia will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.