Marcus Smart Exploded On Team After Celtics Blew Game 2 Of Eastern Conference Finals
BOSTON (CBS) -- If you thought the game itself was ugly, the Celtics locker room was even worse after the team blew another double digit lead and dropped Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat on Thursday night.
No one was particularly happy after the Celtics let a 13-point halftime lead slip away. But no one was more upset than Marcus Smart, who unleashed on his teammates following Boston's 106-101 loss, putting the team in an 0-2 series hole.
According to the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn, Smart didn't hold anything back.
"Marcus Smart is screaming in the #Celtics locker room and there is a bunch of arguing going on. Smart comes out say "y'all on that bull####!" Team is imploding," Washburn tweeted. "Smart is in bathroom and there is still screaming coming from locker room."
This is the second straight game the Celtics have blown a double-digit lead to Miami. The Heat outscored them by 20 points in the third quarter, and the Celtics let a five-point lead with 4:25 left in the fourth quarter turn into a five-point deficit in a matter of minutes.
So it's easy to see why the fiery guard would be so emotional after the game. Smart did not speak with reporters following his verbal condemnation, but Jaylen Brown said that the tirade may be a good thing for the Celtics. Brown believes it could bring them closer together, and it may help them through the adversity they now face.
"He plays with passion and is full of fire and that's why I love him most," Brown said of Smart. "There are ups and downs with families all the time and we embrace each other. What Marcus is, I love him for that. We have to use that fire in Game 3.
"I think there's a beauty to it, or whatever. I recognize it as emotions and passion and nothing else, or whatever the media might see it," Brown added. "We have to express that same passion next game for 48 minutes, period."
Jayson Tatum said it was all frustration from Smart.
"It's team sports. We're not supposed to be happy we're down 0-2," he said. "Nothing to worry about, just talking about the game. It's cool. We have to get ready for the next one."
The Celtics can go two ways now. They can use another disappointing defeat and Smart's tirade as a jumping off point to make this a series again, or they can fold. We'll find out which route they take come Game 3 on Saturday night.
