During the preseason game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics there was a quarrel between J.R. Smith and Marcus Smart in the first quarter. After the match, J.R. had a few words to say to his opponent.
“For someone who wants to be so tough in such a situation, Smart will lead the league in flops,” Smith told the assembled reporters in the booth. “You can’t flop so much and then want to be so tough. How does it work together?”
After a fight with Aron Baynes in the fight for a rebound, Smart pushed J.R. into his back. Before the situation could escalate, Jayson Tatum held his teammate back and threw him to the ground to hold him.
“I’m not gonna sit here and lose money trying to fight Marcus Smart,” Smith continued. “I don’t want to lose money because of my tattoo, so why would I lose it because of him?”
Smart, who was expelled from the field by the referees for his action, told reporters that he was not worried about possible consequences: “Whatever comes to me can come.”
The Guard of the Celts had also asked Smith with a gesture to meet him after the game in the catacombs of the arena. “I told him to come back,” said the 24-year-old. “We can handle this off court, too.”