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April 28 (UPI) -- Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart received a one-game suspension for using "threatening language" toward an official, the NBA announced Wednesday. The one-game ban forced Smart to miss Wednesday night's home game against the Charlotte Hornets.
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"I just found out about 15 minutes ago," Celtics head coach Brad Stevens told reporters about 90 minutes before tip-off. "... I'm not really completely aware of what happened that led to the suspension. I did hear there were words exchanged after the game, but I did not know [the suspension] was coming."
The league didn't provide many specifics about the suspension in its news release beyond saying the incident occurred "during and after the Celtics' 119-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder" on Tuesday night.
"I saw Marcus this morning. We talked about it," Stevens said.
Entering Wednesday's game against the Hornets, the Celtics were already short-handed at point guard. Kemba Walker remains out with a left oblique strain.
"Point guard by committee tonight," Stevens said.
The Hornets blew out the Celtics 125-104 in the teams' last meeting Sunday in Charlotte. Smart recorded 17 points and four assists in that loss.
Also Wednesday, the NBA fined Houston Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. $50,000 for violating its COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
The NBA said in a statement that Porter violated the league's rules against attending indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people and entering bars and similar establishments when he went to a Miami club on April 19.
