Celtics' Smart fined $15K for criticizing officials after loss to Rockets

Marcus Smart surely didn't ask for a fine from the NBA for his 24th birthday, but that's what he's getting.

The Boston Celtics guard was fined $15,000 by the league for criticizing officials following his team's 123-120 road loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday, via Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania.

"When you're playing a guy like that who gets those types of calls, it's pretty much like you're playing in foul trouble," Smart said of James Harden after the game, according to The Boston Globe's Adam Himmelsbach. "You've got to play really certain. You have to be really solid. You can't really play the defense that you want, because you know nine times out of 10 he's going to get those calls.

"It doesn't matter whether your hands are up or not. He still gets them. We saw that here tonight a few times, and we've seen that every other game. He has a way of using his hands, grabbing us, pulling us into him, and drawing those fouls. He's been doing it for a long time. He gets the benefit of the doubt."

Harden took 13 free throws against Boston and finished with 26 points on 6-of-18 shooting, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and five steals in nearly 38 minutes of action. Smart came off the bench for the Celtics and contributed 11 points, six boards, and five dimes. He also just missed a 3-pointer at the end of regulation that would have sent the game to overtime.