Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart have settled their differences
In the final minute of the Celtics' loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis on Sunday, Jae Crowder and Marcus Smart were caught having a heated exchange.
Crowder ripped into Smart for fouling (seemingly out of frustration after getting his shot blocked) when there was a mutual understanding among the team that they would be playing for a stop.
An article from MassLive's Jay King shows that the two have since made up and are back to being friendly and cracking jokes, although Crowder explained why Smart's actions set him off:
"It's just, we didn't want to foul right there," Crowder said. "We wanted to play it out and see if we could get a stop, get a score, and win the game. Emotions were high. It was a pivotal part of the game. We just weren't happy. And we voiced our opinions. But we got over it. We're moving on."
Despite the mistake, Jae says he would trust Marcus in those types of situations in the future:
"I know we need (Smart)," Crowder said. "And I told him we need him. If we were to get in that situation again, I know he would do the right thing. I know I would want him on the court because he's a dog. He's going to fight and scrap and make plays when we need it."
In an effort to draw positives from this situation, CSNNE's A. Sherrod Blakely made some good points about what the incident says about the leadership role that Jae Crowder has taken on:
"As much as you appreciate all that he brings to the game, he has to be smarter – no pun intended – in crucial moments like Sunday’s game. And Crowder didn’t hesitate to let him know this, although Jae’s message was probably conveyed using much more colorful language. You should never have a steady diet of having shouting matches during games, but from time to time it has to be done."
Every team needs a guy that is willing to put someone in their place when they screw up, and let's face it, Smart screwed up. He's a 21-year old kid who still has a lot of room to mature and guys like Crowder are just there to speed up the process.
Follow Jack Bardsley on Twitter @BostonsBigFour
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas/USA Today Sports via Hardwood Houdini