The Boston Celtics endured a bitter loss to the Denver Nuggets in was a surprisingly low-scoring affair. However, Marcus Smart also had to endure racial abuse from a fan.
Chris Mannix recounted Smart's experience in Denver, and it sounds a little familiar to fans who have been watching the NBA for a while now.
Marcus Smart says when he fell in front of a fan, the fan told him “that’s right, stay on your knees.” Says he told security, pointed the fan out, and security did nothing. Says the NBA needs to clean stuff like this up, before bad things happen.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 23, 2019
This incident is eerily similar to the one Russell Westbrook was involved in. However, he didn't follow Russ' route and went to the stadium's security about it. What disappointed the long-time Celtic was the lack of reaction he got from the crew.
Smart finished the night with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals. It was a solid performance on an otherwise terrible night for Smart and the Celtics. However, the fan in question made the game a lot worse for him.
It will be interesting to see how the league and the Nuggets will react to this allegation by Smart. The Jazz banned the fan who offended Westbrook for life, so anything less than that will be seen as a slap on the arm and met with ridicule among various NBA circles.
Kyle Korver wrote a great piece about privilege on The Player's Tribune and suggested things white men can do to help battle systematic racism.
I have to continue to educate myself on the history of racism in America.
I have to listen. I’ll say it again, because it’s that important. I have to listen.
I have to support leaders who see racial justice as fundamental — as something that’s at the heart of nearly every major issue in our country today. And I have to support policies that do the same.
I have to do my best to recognize when to get out of the way — in order to amplify the voices of marginalized groups that so often get lost.
But maybe more than anything?
I know that, as a white man, I have to hold my fellow white men accountable.
Racism won't likely stop in American sports overnight, but players and fans can work on it together.
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