Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been suspended for one game for directing threatening language at an official, the NBA announced Wednesday. The incident occurred during the Celtics' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder Tuesday, a frustrating turn of events for Boston as the Thunder had lost 14 games in a row prior to facing Boston. Smart will serve the suspension on Wednesday when the Celtics take on the Charlotte Hornets.
Boston cannot afford to be without any of their best players even for a single game. At 32-30, they are currently tied for the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference with the Miami Heat. Staying in the top six is more important than ever this season due to the league's new play-in rules. If Boston falls to No. 7, it would have to beat the No. 8 seeded team, currently the Hornets, or the No. 9 or No. 10 seed in a second play-in game, just to make it into the playoffs.
Smart is averaging a career-high 13.6 points per game as he has had to take on a greater offensive role with Gordon Hayward departing in free agency and Kemba Walker beginning to show signs of aging. He has already missed 20 games due to a calf injury suffered early in the season, though, and Boston has paid the price in the standings. With Walker also out Wednesday due to injury, the Celtics will be at a major disadvantage against the Hornets.
Charlotte will be without Hayward and LaMelo Ball, though, so neither team is at full strength. That will put even more pressure on those who are playing in this game to perform with so much on the line.
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April 29, 2021 at 04:57AM
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Celtics' Marcus Smart suspended one game without pay for directing threatening language at official - CBS Sports
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