It happened with just under nine minutes remaining in the third quarter as the Celtics held a 68-59 lead. Smart was defending Julius Randle just inside the three-point line. As Randle held the ball with his back to Smart and prepared to make a move, Randle raised his elbow and grazed Smart's face. Smart took advantage of the contact and fell backwards as if he had just been punched in the face, drawing the offensive foul.
To top things off, Randle was so frustrated that he bumped an official while trying to argue his case and was called for a technical foul.
Smart is a superstar when it comes to flopping. He has perfected his skills over many years. Smart had such a reputation for flopping in his college career at Oklahoma State that an opposing student section flopped in unison to taunt him when he was introduced.Taking a look at Julius Randle's offensive foul on Marcus Smart
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) March 6, 2023
Tune in: https://t.co/uSr28gFzzp pic.twitter.com/BV1CGJbsa2
The Knicks got the last laugh in the end, however, as they won the game in double overtime 131-129. Smart finished with 13 points in 39 minutes, but fouled out with over three minutes left in the second overtime, so we was unable to draw any more fouls on the Knicks. However, with the NBA playoffs rapidly approaching, we're sure that Smart will have many more opportunities to display his flopping skills.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
