After Marcus Smart appeared to have flashed his middle finger towards a fan in Game 2 of their first round series against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday night, the NBA made a thorough review of the incident.
The league office determined that the Boston Celtics guard indeed made the obscene gesture to the fan, and has decided to slap him with a $25,000 fine.
Marcus Smart's middle finger cost him a $25,000 fine, the NBA announced.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 19, 2017
Smart reached the peak of his frustrations in the fourth quarter after he missed a three-pointer, with his team down 15 at that point. The Celtics were able to keep the game close, but faded towards the end of the third quarter and were not able to cut into their deficit. It allowed the Bulls to have a commanding 2-0 lead over the top seeded team in the Eastern Conference, with the series now heading to Chicago for Games 3 and 4.
The fans in Beantown are hoping this would be the last incident where Smart will show frustration inside the court, as they understand the importance of him staying focused and playing at his best.
The C's will need all the help they can get as they are facing an uphill battle to live up to the expectations placed on them as a number one seed. Should they lose the series to the Bulls, they will become only the fourth number one seed in NBA history to get eliminated by an eighth seeded team.
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