Marcus Smart has been out of the lineup for the Boston Celtics since last week after he injured his hand in a bizarre incident, and the details surrounding the injury may be even more embarrassing than initially believed.
On Friday, Smart apologized on Twitter and admitted that he suffered lacerations on his right hand when he “swiped” at a picture frame on a wall in his hotel. Sources told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that the story checked out, as there was a broken picture frame in the bathroom of Smart’s hotel room in Beverly Hills. But what set the point guard off?
Apparently, Smart lost his temper over photos a woman posted on social media.
According to league sources briefed on the situation, Smart’s story checks out. There was a broken picture frame in the bathroom in his Beverly Hills hotel room, and glass was indeed found in his hand, requiring stitches. The Celtic guard’s anger was apparently raised over pictures posted by a female acquaintance on social media — pictures that have since been deleted.
Smart received stitches in Los Angeles and returned to Boston, where doctors examined him and determined he could miss approximately two weeks. According to one NBA source, it is within the Celtics’ right to levy punishment, possibly matching a suspension to the number of games Smart is forced to miss with the injury.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens has already expressed disappointment in Smart and said the team could discipline him, noting that the 23-year-old has to do a better job of controlling his emotions.
Smart isn’t the first pro athlete to suffer an embarrassing injury that stemmed from frustration, but injuries of that nature are a bad enough look when they don’t have anything to do with girl trouble.
