Report: Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown had to be separated in locker room
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was heard blowing up on teammates in the locker room following Thursday night’s meltdown against the Miami Heat, and it sounds like much of the shouting was directed at Jaylen Brown.
Several reporters heard Smart “screaming” in the locker room and objects being thrown. Shams Charania of The Athletic gathered more information about the situation and was told Smart and Jaylen Brown got into a heated argument and needed to be separated by teammates.
Smart reportedly stormed into the locker room after Game 2 and told his teammates they need to hold themselves accountable and stop blaming him when things go wrong. Brown shot back by telling Smart to calm down and that the Celtics need to stick together. That led to a tense exchange, but the situation was diffused before it became physical.
Smart also had arguments with a couple of assistant coaches during the game, according to Charania.
The Celtics are said to have quickly smoothed things over. One source confidently told Charania that “they will move past this and focus on the task.” Brown also had high praise for Smart following Game 2, though that was before the altercation.
“(Smart) plays with passion, he’s full of fire, and that’s what I love about him most,” Brown said. “He has that desire and that will, and we need him to continue to have that. We embrace each other, and who Marcus is, I love him for it.”
Smart is the emotional leader of the Celtics. He’s one of the best defensive players in the NBA and gives full effort at all times. He is also a very hot and cold shooter, and the Celtics are sometimes forced to live and die by his three-point attempts late in games. That may be what led to the finger-pointing that he blew up about, as Smart shot 5-for-13 from the field and 2-for-6 from three-point range in Game 2.
The Celtics are now facing a must-win in Game 3, so they have to brush the drama aside quickly. They may also get a big boost in time for the game.