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Marcus Smart Flips Off Celtics Players After Hitting Back-To-Back 3-Pointers
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- Marcus Smart Flips Off Celtics Players After Hitting Back-To-Back 3-Pointers
Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets took on the Boston Celtics at Toyota Center on Monday, and Marcus Smart sure appeared to have a point to prove to his former team on the night. Smart, who spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Celtics, kept putting his body on the line and also brought out an interesting celebration.
Smart hit back-to-back threes early in the fourth quarter to help the Rockets create separation and threw up the double birds.
Now, given this was a Rockets home game, you might have been a bit confused by Smart's celebration. This could be seen as the 32-year-old flipping off the crowd, but he shared the reasons behind his actions postgame .
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"Just a lot of pent-up, I guess you can call it, emotions," Smart said, via the Rockets. "And plus certain guys on the bench was talking. Didn't know who. So I just heard them say something. So I let him hear right back."
Smart still hasn't quite gotten over the Celtics sending him to the Memphis Grizzlies in June 2023 as part of the three-team trade that netted them Kristaps Porzingis . The fact that they then went on to win the NBA title in 2024 might have left him a bit bitter.
Add in some trash talk from the Celtics bench, and you get why Smart reacted in that manner. He will probably get a hefty fine, though.
Smart had actually missed his first seven shots before drilling those two threes to take the game away from the Celtics. The 2022 DPOY finished the night with eight points (2-10 FG), four rebounds, four assists, and two steals to help the Rockets come away with a 109-93 win.
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This was in many ways a typical Marcus Smart game. He was inefficient from the field, but hustled, tried to take charges, and made winning plays. Smart was asked postgame whether he had some extra energy against the Celtics, and he sure did.
"For sure," Smart said. "You always want to do good against your former team and show them that you still can go out there and do what you do, right? So definitely felt good, energy was there. They know what I can do, and reminded them again tonight."
The Celtics would not have forgotten. They had selected Smart with the No. 6 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, and he became a fan favorite in Boston for always putting his body on the line. He gave his all every time he stepped onto the court and is the kind of player every team could use.
The Rockets are delighted to have Smart, and they're also delighted by how they've started the season. This win over the Celtics saw them improve to 7-1. That's the joint-best record in the NBA at present.
The Rockets will hope to continue their winning ways when they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
