Marcus Smart says Celtics fan ‘crossed the line’ in shouting match

As the Washington Wizards visited TD Garden in a matchup with the Celtics, former Celtic and current Wizard Marcus Smart spent the entire 124-90 C's victory on the bench. Apparently, while sidelined, he was listening to the combination of fans both jeering and cheering him because he got into a verbal altercation with one who took it too far.

"He just crossed the line. We all know, I don't do line crossing," Smart said after the game, via ESPN. "You never want to see that, especially for a guy who's coming back and has given the city everything he has."

Smart has only suited up for a game at TD Garden once since being traded in 2023, and on Sunday, most of the fans were chanting, "We want Marcus!" in support and with the hope he would get on the floor. That being said, at least one fan said something to Smart that set him off. He worked with security to have the fan removed after the incident.

"Just trying to get him out before it escalated more than what it was," he said. Still, Smart did acknowledge his appreciation for the many fans that rooted for him and expressed their desire to watch him play.

"Flashbacks, baby," Smart said. "The love is always there. From both sides -- myself and the fans, the city. It's definitely emotional coming back and you try to hold it back. But I love it. I love every last bit of it. I'm a part of the city -- nine years. A kid to a young man."

From a basketball perspective, the Celtics have benefitted a lot from moving on from Smart, but the fiery attitude that compelled him to jaw with a spectator is one of the things that many Celtic fans loved about him but others hated. Ironically, Sunday night's events might fully embody the love/hate dynamic of Marcus Smart that made him such a controversial player when he was in Boston.

Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.