Celtics guard Marcus Smart will miss two weeks after he suffered a hand laceration after he punched a picture frame in frustration. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald has more information on Smart’s injury and how the 23-year-old could face discipline from the team.
Per Bulpett, Smart’s story about the incident taking place inside a Beverly Hills hotel room checks out. Smart was reportedly frustrated over a social media post of a female acquaintance, which has since been deleted.
A source tells Bulpett that it is within the organization’s right to issue a fine and/or a suspension to Smart due to the incident. However, head coach Brad Stevens downplayed the situation and said the matter will be handled “internally.” In 46 games (10 starts) this season, Smart is averaging 10.1 PPG and 4.7 APG.
Check out other Atlantic Division news and notes below:
- Mike Schmitz of ESPN Insider (Subscription required and recommended) writes that while the Sixers possess an impressive young core headlined by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, their future franchise star may be 22-year-old Australian Jonah Bolden. Bolden was Philadelphia’s second-round pick (36th overall) in the 2017 NBA Draft; he currently suits up for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League
- While the Knicks went 3-4 on their recent road trip, head coach Jeff Hornacek took several positives out of the stretch, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. With the trade deadline approaching, several Knicks may be on the move, but Hornacek was pleased with Lance Thomas‘ defense, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke‘s tenacity, and Enes Kanter‘s toughness.
- With the deadline close, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes that the organization should learn from former president Phil Jackson‘s past mistakes. Instead of trying for a quick attempt at competing with a patchwork roster, the team should stick with its build-and-grow approach.
- The Knicks cut ties with assistant coach Josh Longstaff (a personal favorite of Kristaps Porzingis) in the offseason and he is now finding G League success as the head coach of the Erie Bayhawks, Bondy writes in a separate story.
Smart is done in Boston after the season anyway…
I wish they’d trade him now! His guy can’t shoot but he thinks he’s Steph Curry and chicks up bricks!
His shooting is frustrating, yes, but he provides so much value defensively and his hustle is top notch. He’s not easy just to trade away.
facts. he has so much more value than offensively. energy wise, hustle wise, defense wise and hes the heart of the team.
Except he’s Lance Stephenson 2.0. Not a Smart basketball player.
How does Bondy keep getting paychecks?
Marcus Smart is a major piece to the C’s cause of his d and his hustle. Also, he cares about situations going around in Boston and helping kids with cancer. Isn’t really hard to trade him???