Marcus Smart is a little lighter in the wallet after the NBA fined him $15,000 for “public criticism of the officiating” following Boston’s 123-120 loss at Houston on Saturday.
The league didn’t spell out exactly what Smart said that landed him a $15,000 fine -- on his birthday, of all days.
But it’s likely to have come from a series of comments he made in relation to what he perceived as favorable calls for James Harden, who is once again having an MVP-caliber season.
“It happens all around the league,” Smart told the Boston Globe following the game. “You get certain players who get calls that other guys just wouldn’t get. We all know the rule. We all understand it. Superstars are going to be superstars. We get it. It is what it is. We’ve just got to play.”