“Should Have Had A Long Time Ago”: Celtics’ Marcus Smart Opens up on Locker Room Spat

The Boston Celtics had a tough start to the ECF, losing two games in disappointing fashion. The Miami Heat steamrolled over them and gained a huge lead in the series. Following the Game 2 loss, Marcus Smart and the Celtics engaged in a raucous locker room altercation, which caught the headlines more than Miami’s back-to-back victories. What does Marcus Smart have to say about it? 

Shortly after Game 2, the media personalities present at the arena reported loud noises coming from the C’s locker room. Apparently, the situation escalated quickly and things were being thrown around and Marcus Smart was said to be the initiator of the verbal spat. 

After all the disagreements that went down, the Celtics’ locker room healed, and head coach Brad Stevens had a meeting with the core players of the team. Well, one can wonder how much Stevens’ enlightening talk impacted the team, because they came roaring back in Game 3 to clinch victory and claw their way back into the series. 

In a newly unraveled story, ‘The Athletic’s’ Sam Amick sat down with Marcus Smart to seek further details about the infamous locker room spat and what really went down in the night. It was quite an emotional night for Smart, as the day before Game 2 was the second anniversary of his mother’s passing. 

The 26-year-old did not use that as an excuse, but he mentioned that it did make a difference. “Yeah, it was tough. It was tough. It was definitely tough. You know, on top of losing Game 2 — you know, I don’t like to use that as an excuse, but it does (make a difference),” Smart said. 

The Boston Celtics family needs to get past moments like these

Even though the locker-room saga went on for quite a few minutes, coach Brad Stevens pulled the main members of the team to reconcile as a unit. One knows that they would never break up as a team. But there were a lot of speculations about a meltdown between Smart and Jaylen Brown. 

To break all of this into shards, Smart addressed how thick the Celtics are, and mentioned the undying camaraderie they share. Moreover, the electrifying guard spit a few details about the meeting and how to resolve their frustration. 

“It was me, Jaylen, Jayson, Kemba, and (coach) Brad Stevens. You know, we just got together and made sure that what happened in the locker room was really in the locker room. It’s unfortunate that it got out, but it happened,” Smart said. 

“Like I said, we’re a family. Families fight. I don’t expect anything less. I expect that if a guy feels some way, then say it. I’d rather you say it than hold it in and let it come out too late.”

How the locker room spat benefitted Boston

When the Celtics went down 0-2 in the series, everyone was predicting them to lose control of the series. A Game 3 loss was expected, but they showed us why they’re one of the best teams in the league. 

They sure have a lot of individual talent, but success only comes if they work together. For instance, they blew a 17-point lead in Game 2 because they had no answers to Miami’s defense. Consensually, Smart’s outburst brought the team together. 

“It was something that probably we should have had a long time ago, but because we kind of just skated through we didn’t have to. And we knew eventually it was going to come up to bite us with the way we’d been playing, so it was something that needed to happen.

“Like I said, I love this group of guys. We all love each other. We all know that when any of us get emotional, there’s no malice and no bad intentions behind it. I think that’s kind of where and how we were all able to have the higher (outcome) because we all knew that it was coming from a great place.”

Game 4 can prove to be an important fixture, and a win for either team will matter a lot. Miami can go 3-1 up in the series, while the Boston Celtics can level the ECF with a win. Can Brad Stevens’ team hold on to register two straight victories?