Celtics fan shouts at Smart, 'crossed the line'

BOSTON -- Former Boston Celtics and existent Washington Wizards defender Marcus Smart said a instrumentality "crossed the line" erstwhile helium was heckling the roadworthy team's seat during Sunday's crippled astatine TD Garden, starring to a spot of shouting earlier the instrumentality was ushered retired of the arena.

"He conscionable crossed the line. We each know, I don't bash enactment crossing," Smart said aft the Celtics bushed the Wizards 124-90. "You ne'er privation to spot that, particularly for a feline who's coming backmost and has fixed the metropolis everything helium has."

The crippled betwixt the defending NBA champions and a squad competing for the worst grounds successful the league was ne'er close, and Boston led by 35 with astir six minutes near erstwhile a hubbub arose down Washington's bench. Smart was pointing astatine a instrumentality and it appeared his teammates and a manager were trying to clasp him back.

Smart said helium was pointing the antheral retired to security. "Just trying to get him retired earlier it escalated much than what it was," helium said.

Smart was drafted by the Celtics successful 2014 and played the archetypal 9 years of his vocation with the team, but helium was traded to Memphis successful the summertime of 2023 successful a woody that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.

The Celtics, who reached the Eastern Conference finals six times with Smart and the NBA Finals once, went connected to triumph it each successful the archetypal twelvemonth without him. Smart did not play successful past year's crippled erstwhile the Grizzlies visited Boston; helium did play for Memphis successful Boston successful December.

Back successful the metropolis for the archetypal clip since helium was traded to Washington successful February, Smart did not play connected Sunday arsenic the Wizards absorption connected young players and the draught lottery. During the game, fans chanted: "We privation Marcus!"

"Flashbacks, baby," Smart said. "The emotion is ever there. From some sides -- myself and the fans, the city. It's decidedly affectional coming backmost and you effort to clasp it back. But I emotion it. I emotion each past spot of it. I'm a portion of the metropolis -- 9 years. A kid to a young man."

Smart spent a agelong clip aft the crippled catching up with his erstwhile teammates.

"It's ever bully to support successful interaction with those guys," helium said. "Grew up with those guys. We went done a batch of battles -- blood, sweat and tears. A fewer of those guys came to my ma funeral. So it's a deeper enslaved than conscionable hoops betwixt us."

In Washington, the nine is definite gladsome to person him connected its side. In fact, a Boston newsman connected Sunday asked Wizards manager Brian Keefe astir Smart's enactment successful a young locker room, with him summing it up succinctly, arsenic "he's been terrific.

"We're thrilled to person him connected our team," helium added. "Obviously, you guys cognize present successful this town, what helium meant to the metropolis of Boston. He's a tremendous leader, a tremendous player."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.