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In what has been a sleepwalk through the preseason for the Celtics, Marcus Smart showed some life fight. Early in the first quarter in Cleveland last night, J.R. Smith and Aron Baynes got locked up in a rebound. After some pushing and hold-me-backs, Smith shoved Baynes and that ignited Smart. Smart looked to attacked Smith, but teammates Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier wrestled him to the ground. Unfortunately for Smart (and fortunately for Smith), he was ejected.
Things have gotten HEATED at the Q. Marcus Smart was ejected as result #NBAPreseason #BOSvsCLE pic.twitter.com/iGSC8ffHJQ
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 7, 2018
There’s history between the two. Smart-Smith I happened four months ago in the playoffs when Smith undercut a defenseless Al Horford. Three years ago, Smith elbowed then Celtic Jae Crowder, gave him a concussion, and sprained his MCL.
Just like last night’s UFC fiasco, the fight didn’t end between the lines:
Meet me on street damn the back!! https://t.co/oP2jsVcyUc
— JR Smith (@TheRealJRSmith) October 7, 2018
More JR Smith on Marcus Smart: "For a guy who wants to be so tough in this situation, he leads the league in flops. Easily. You can’t flop as much as you do and then be tough.” More pic.twitter.com/1voRoaOUVa
— Chris Forsberg (@ChrisForsberg_) October 7, 2018
The altercation did not spill out of the Q in some Rocky V street fight. Boston finished the preseason an anemic 1-3 with a 113-102 loss to the Cavaliers. These games don’t matter, but even with the preseason qualifier, this is the first sign of competitiveness that this scene has shown since Media Day two weeks ago.