On Saturday night, a battle between Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart and Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young took a physical turn. In the final minutes of the game, Smart and Young got into an altercation which resulted in both players ending up on the floor.
The altercation began when a stray kick from Young hit Smart in a sensitive area on a drive. Smart immediately confronted Young, and the two began to exchange words. The altercation ended in an ejection for Smart and a technical foul for Young.
Following the game, the official who issued the technical foul explained to a pool reporter that Young was “getting up and pointing in Marcus Smart’s face.” Smart’s side of the action was described as “grabs [Young] and slams him to the ground.” Neither player said much about the incident, and Hawks head coach Quin Snyder simply said “It’s over” and expressed a desire to move on.
The Celtics would go on to win 134-125, improving their record to 47-21 and putting them 1.5 games back from the Milwaukee Bucks for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. While Smart was ejected, Young finished the game with 35 points and 13 assists, and Smart had 11 points and six assists.
The altercation between Marcus Smart and Trae Young was an example of the fiery competition between players in the NBA. While it may have ended in an ejection and a technical foul, it was a reminder of the intensity of the game and the importance of maintaining control of emotions.
