Celtics' Marcus Smart Fined $15K for Criticizing Referees After Win vs. Hornets

The NBA announced a $15,000 fine for Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart after he publicly criticized the officials following Thursday night's 108-87 win over the Charlotte Hornets. 

"Really, just, I wish they would call the game the right way," Smart told reporters. "A lot of calls that they called, I didn't understand where the fouls were. And it just seems like whenever I get the ball and I'm on offense, I can't get a call."

He also predicted a fine was on the way: "Nobody else is going to protect yourself. You've got to protect yourself. So if that means I've got to lose a little bit of money, then I've got to lose a bit."

Smart had previously been fined $270,848 throughout his six-year NBA career, per Spotrac.

The 25-year-old Oklahoma State product had a brief confrontation with Celtics head coach Brad Stevens when he was removed from the game, saying he told Stevens about the officiating "at some point you have to step in and say something as a coach. But since you won't, I've got to."

"We need Marcus, and I've told him a number of times how much we need him," Stevens told reporters. "But this is the part about Marcus that I love, right? His fire, his competitiveness. If there's a moment when he's upset with us, that's all part of it. We move on pretty quickly. We've been together a long time. I've been yelled at before and that's OK. I love him and I trust him."

Smart finished the game with six points, five assists and five fouls in 22 minutes.

He's averaging 2.9 fouls through seven appearances this season, an uptick from his career average (2.6).

Smart got hit with a fine, but he'll remain eligible to play in Saturday night's clash with the San Antonio Spurs.