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Celtics' Marcus Smart Fined $35K for Using Inappropriate Language Toward Official
January 5, 2023
Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart was ejected from Tuesday's disappointing blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and now he's paying for his actions.
The NBA announced Thursday that Smart has been fined $35,000 for "directing inappropriate language toward a game official."
The Celtics fell 150-117 to a Thunder team that was without star point guard and leading scorer Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who sat out with an illness. Oklahoma City set a franchise record for most points in a game since the team moved from Seattle in 2008.
Smart was assessed a second technical foul late in the third quarter after arguing a foul call. After being ejected, he had to be held back by coaches as he animatedly yelled at the referees before he was taken to the locker room.
The reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Smart is one of Boston's most important players. He leads the team with 7.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game while adding 11.1 points.
The Celtics still rank first in the Eastern Conference with a 26-12 record, but they opened their current road trip with back-to-back losses after a four-game winning streak. Boston was one of the better defensive teams in the league last season, but the team has struggled on that end of the floor lately, allowing over 100 points in seven consecutive games.
Smart and the Celtics will hope for a better showing when they visit the Dallas Mavericks (22-16) on Wednesday night. The Mavs are the hottest team in the league, riding a seven-game win streak into the matchup.
