If you ever wondered why Marcus Smart was a valued commodity to his organization, look no further than yesterday preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. With just under 4 minutes of play in the first quarter, Marcus's Celtics' teammate got tangled up under the basket with JR Smith. The Cavaliers' shooting guard then attempted to drag Baynes down to the ground, at which the scene turned into a full-blown melee, with JR at the center of the action.
Although teammates on both sides tried to mediate, an incensed Marcus Smart took exception to JR's handling of the situation. Fortunately, Marcus Smart was unable to break free of the players holding him back.
As Marcus Smart was being escorted off the court, JR Smith made a "chatterbox" gesturing with his hands, signaling that his opponent was all talk. Smart and Smith both received double technicals for their agitations. Smith and Baynes received personal fouls for the initial tussle, whereas Smart was the only player on either side to receive an ejection.
After the game, Smart told the press that although he felt the referees decision to eject him was just, he still had unfinished business he wished to explore with JR Smith. "I told him to come back to the back. All that on the court? We can handle that off of the court," Smart said. "I ain't with that, ain't no punk right here."
JR Smith for his part, told reporters, "At the end of the day, I'm not going to sit here and lose money over trying to fight Marcus Smart. I'm not going to lose money over my tattoo, so why would I lose it over him?" Smith later reneged on his position in a Twitter post aimed at Smart in which he challenged him to a fight on the street.
https://twitter.com/_/status/1048771433147588608
And they say the modern game has gone soft..
Byt the way, the game ended 102-113 in favor of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
