Marcus Smart knows what it's like to lose his cool on the court. He's gotten into spats with NBA opponents and Boston Celtics teammates alike and made national headlines in college for shoving a fan in the stands after a verbal altercation.
So, Smart knows where the "line" is -- and knows Draymond Green went well past it.
The Golden State Warriors star is taking a self-imposed leave of absence after video leaked of him viciously punching teammate Jordan Poole during a practice last Wednesday.
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When asked about the Green-Poole incident Sunday, Smart acknowledged that beefs between teammates can sometimes result in physical altercations. But he also called out the Warriors veteran for not keeping his composure.
"I know Draymond, as good as he is as a player and as a person, he made a mistake," Smart told reporters Sunday at Boston's practice. "I think we can all say that from what we know. As a leader, you can’t do that, especially when guys are looking up to you and looking to you for advice and encouragement.
"[Don’t] go that route, but definitely keep that fire and stay on them. But he’s got to know when to cool off and when to back it down."
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Warriors fans (and Green) may not appreciate Smart's unsolicited advice, especially given Smart's reputation as an agitator who called out Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown early last season for not passing the ball enough.
But it's pretty clear that Green handled his beef with Poole poorly, and that Green losing his cool will force the Warriors to field repeated questions about the team's chemistry. While Smart didn't claim to know what caused Green to snap at Poole, he believes the teammates should have squashed whatever beef they had behind closed doors before it got to this point.
“When you come in here in this gym and you step in between these lines, you’re family, and everything else goes out the window until you step off this court," Smart said. "That’s how it should be, and I think that’s how you handle it."
The Warriors are still in good position to defend their 2022 NBA championship, but they'll need to close ranks quickly to avoid last week's incident impacting their on-court performance. Meanwhile, Smart's Celtics will hope the strong chemistry they built last season can help them withstand a sudden coaching change from Ime Udoka to 34-year-old Joe Mazzulla.