On Friday night's Game 3 in the Atlanta-Boston playoff series, the guard play was spectacular. And I use that word "play" loosely.
It was great to watch the heated matchup between Celtics' Isaiah Thomas and Hawks point guard Dennis Schröder that came to a head in the first quarter, yet alarming to spot the theatrics of Marcus Smartas if the league is handing out Golden Globes now that it's the NBA's award season.
NBA executive Stu Jackson predicted that Isaiah Thomas, who had a career-high of 42 points, would be suspended for smacking Schröder up side his head in the first quarter. Thomas admitted that he felt somewhat worried about the prospects of being suspended for the hit. Due to the officials who started the fracas when it happened, league reviewed it and declared that Thomas would get a minor slap on the wrist with a Flagrant-1 foul.
"How much [the Hawks] were complaining about it [after the game], yeah," Thomas stated. "I'm focused on Game 4, man. They made the call of what it was, a flagrant-1, whatever it was. I'm glad I'm able to play."
Marcus Smart followed up this sentiment: "I think everybody's glad that nobody got suspended."
But the league wasn't so lenient with Marcus for his antics. They slapped him with a $5000 for his shitty acting job in the third quarter underneath his team's hoop. What exactly compelled him to think that this would be a good sell to the refs?
"I was just trying to make winning plays for my team," said Smart.
This is a well-deserved trophy fine with a lesson to all: For the love of the game, DON'T DO THIS WHEN PLAYING ORGANIZED BASKETBALL.
