NBA Officials Targeting Marcus Smart, Says Controversial Analyst
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - FEBRUARY 13: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics celebrates during the game against the LA Clippers at TD Garden on February 13, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Clippers in double overtime 141-133. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
According to Shams Charania of the Athletic’s reports, Marcus Smart was fined $15,000 after his comments about the officiating in Friday’s Celtics-Bucks game. In his postgame interview, Smart referenced a foul call on Giannis Antetokounmpo, which was overturned upon review. The original call gave Giannis his sixth foul and would have ended his night.
“Giannis had six fouls and they didn’t want to get him out,” Smart said. “Let’s call a spade a spade. That’s what it is.”
With one minute and 30 seconds left in the game, Smart appeared to jump in front of the reigning MVP and take charge. Instead, Smart was called for his sixth foul and had to sit for the remainder of the game.
To Smart’s credit, he was outside the restricted area, and it should be Giannis’ sixth foul.
“Quite frankly, I think we all knew what that was about,” Smart said.
On Wednesday’s episode of The Jump, Celtic analyst Kendrick Perkins shared that the officials were targeting Smart during a BS or Real Talk segment.
“It’s real talk because the refs have a history of not putting their pride aside and picking on players. I watched that game yesterday, and at least three fouls were not fools,” said Perkins. “They had a radar, and they were targeting Marcus Smart and I’m standing with Jaylen Brown. Stop picking on Marcus Smart, period.”
After Smart fouled out, his teammate Jaylen Brown told the officials to stop picking on Smart.
“Don’t p ick on Smart,” said Jaylen brown.
Perkins could refer to the history of targeted players such as DeMarcus Cousins, Rasheed Wallace, or Allen Iverson. Donaghy currently serves some time in prison for betting on NBA games.
“There was one game where Allen Iverson threatened Steve Javie and we felt, as a staff, he should have should be suspended, but he was only fined $25,000,” Donaghy explained.
“I had the next game, and the two referees and myself, in the morning meeting, decided that Allen Iverson — although he carries the ball all the time and it’s never called — we were going to enforce that against him that night.”
“Every game I watch on TV, everything you call is a foul, former Sixers head coach Larry Brown said to Bennett Salvatore after Allen Iverson received a technical foul being the crowd noise down, which is not even a part of the NBA rule book.
In recent years, Chris Paul, James Harden, Matt Barnes, and Paul Pierce have criticized Scott Foster for officiating.
“Every referee has their personality. He’s just not one you mess with. It shouldn’t be like that because when you look at it, it’s stars — Harden, DeRozan, Chris Paul that he’s getting into it with. You gotta be able to listen to the players, have that relationship. I don’t feel like Scott has that relationship amongst the superstars in the league … It was hard for me to even say something to him because it was like I know that Scott is going to have a quick trigger with the technicals. So, if you’re gonna say something, you gotta keep it short and keep it moving. Because if you sit there and elaborate on a call, you’re gonna get a technical or he’ll throw you out like we’ve seen. But the players know this.”
