Marcus Smart Ejected For Uppercut to Matt Bonner’s Groin (VIDEO)

Celtics guard Marcus Smart was ejected with a flagrant 2 for swinging at Matt Bonner below the belt on Friday. Smart insisted his uppercut to Bonner’s groin while trying to fight through a screen was unintentional. “It was just something that was just a freak accident,” Smart said.

From NESN:

Smart said if Bonner, a Concord, N.H., native, had believed his punch to be malicious, a more serious altercation would have ensued.

 

“Like I told him, I wasn’t trying to intentionally do it, because if I was, obviously he wouldn’t have come at me the way he did,” the rookie said. “It was just something that was just a freak accident — inadvertent arm that happened to connect.”

 

Regardless of intent, Celtics coach Brad Stevens was critical of his point guard’s actions when speaking with reporters after the game.

 

“I saw the play,” Stevens said. “I spoke to Marcus. For me, from my standpoint, it looks like an unacceptable play. … You can’t do that. Simple as that.”

 

Smart now has been ejected from two of the Celtics’ last eight games (the first came after he elbowed Elfrid Payton during a March 8 loss to the Orlando Magic).