Per MassLive’s Tom Westerholm, Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $15,000 for criticizing game officials following Thursday’s win against the Charlotte Hornets.
Clearly frustrated throughout the game, Smart’s temper began to spill over in the second half, as cameras caught him animatedly voicing his displeasure with Celtics head coach Brad Stevens, exasperated by Stevens’ refusal to challenge an offensive foul called against him.
After the game, Smart would tell reporters, “”Really, just, I wish they would call the game the right way,” Smart said. “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.”
Smart continued, reciting a line from last season as he mused that “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” (per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps).
