Marcus Smart, Trae Young Get Tangled Up at End of Boston Celtics’ 135-124 Win over Atlanta Hawks

While their careers didn’t overlap as Bedlam foes, there is no love lost between Marcus Smart and Trae Young.

Smart’s second-placed Boston Celtics were in Atlanta to face Youngs’ Hawks on Saturday night. The Cs held off a Hawks comeback but some late extracurricular activity between the former Big 12 stars saw Smart ejected from the heated contest.

In the final two minutes, Young drove past Smart on his way to an old-fashioned 3-point play in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. But the way (and into what region) Young kicked his heel back caused the former Big 12 Player of the Year (Smart) to take umbrage with the former Big 12 First-Teamer (Young).

Smart immediately brought his concerns to Young’s attention, a gesture that was not appreciated, and drama ensued. I bet Trae’s feeling that in the morning.

Both received technical fouls. Smart was ejected. Young made two free throws to pull Atlanta within six, but that was as close as it got the rest of the way.

Here’s the full video narrated from a Boston point of view, via NBS Sports.

It’s not the first time the two have hooked horns in a tightly contested battle. Back in 2020, Smart dribbled (and stepped) over a fallen Young after the latter missed a would-be game-winning 3-pointer at TD Garden. You can check that out here.

These were two of the more dynamic (and polarizing) players to ever play college ball in Oklahoma so it’s a bit poetic to see them butting head on the east coast. If only we could have seen them square off in Bedlam.