Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been suspended for “directing threatening language toward a game official,” the NBA announced on Wednesday.
Smart will serve the suspension by sitting out Wednesday night’s game against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden.
The league said Smart committed the offense during and following Boston’s 119-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
The timing is unfortunate for the Celtics, who sport the same 32-30 record as the Miami Heat entering Wednesday’s games. The Celtics and Heat, tied for sixth in the Eastern Conference, are badly trying to avoid the play-in postseason structure.
Smart is averaging 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.5 assists per game in 32.7 minutes per game this season in 42 games.
