Getty Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers are separated.
Marcus Smart and Joel Embiid had some bad blood between each other before the Boston Celtics took on the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opener on October 17. The two have gotten themselves into altercations in the past, like when they got into an altercation during the 2018-19 season.
When the two of them got into it again during their season opener, Jaylen Brown quickly came to Smart’s defense while getting a little chippy with Embiid.
Smart, whose entering his seventh year with Brown as his teammate, sounded off on his relationship with him, as well as Jayson Tatum, after Brown had his back following Smart’s spat with Embiid.
“It just shows the camaraderie that we have and how tight we are. Especially with the things we’ve been through, me, Jaylen, and Jayson (Tatum). With everything over the past couple of years, from rumors and things like that so. For (Brown) to do that, and for us to be that, it just shows that we’re in this together no matter what,” Smart said.
Smart then detailed the understanding the three of them have with one another and how that benefits them.
“It’s never going to be a perfect situation for us, but as long as we go out there and have each other’s backs, everybody wins, and everything will be alright,” Smart said. “That’s what we’re preaching, and that’s what we’re practicing. That’s what we hold ourselves on. Holding each other accountable and having each other’s back when you fall.”
Jaylen Brown’s Thoughts on Embiid Scuffle
After the Celtics beat the Sixers, Brown was asked his thoughts on Smart’s altercation with Embiid. Brown explained he did what he did because he thought Embiid was trying to hurt his teammate.
“First, I thought that the rest of the game, Embiid was getting away with a lot of unnecessary pushing and shoving,” Brown said. “Just being a big guy, that’s what he do, but he was throwing his weight around a little bit. I said something before that moment, but they kind of let it go, brushed it off. So, in that play, It seemed like he was trying to hurt Smart, in a sense. Instincts just came right over.
Brown also shared a similar sentiment that Smart told reporters, making it clear that he and his teammates were in this together.
“We got each other’s backs out there. We not taking no mess this year.”
Smart’s History of Fights
Joel Embiid is far from the only player whose ever gotten into scuffles with Marcus Smart since Smart came into the NBA.
The player perhaps best known for getting into it with Marcus Smart besides Embiid is JR Smith, who Smart had multiple altercations with when Smith played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, both times the two got into it came after Smith had shoved one of Smart’s teammates. First against Al Horford, then Aron Baynes.
Smart has gotten into fights with players who were considered NBA stars when the two got into their altercations at the time, including DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, and Jimmy Butler.
Smart has shown he is not one to back down from a fight if the opportunity presents itself.