The Celtics made headlines Thursday with a 127–102 win to even the Eastern Conference finals, but their big victory hasn’t stopped fans from debating a thrilling yet controversial play that took place early in Game 2.
The sequence in question occurred around the 3:30 mark of the first quarter after Marcus Smart, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, stole a pass from Heat guard Tyler Herro, the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. As Smart took off down the floor and gathered for a layup, Herro jumped with him and swatted his attempt of the glass, causing Smart to tumble to the floor.
Instead of walking away with a clean, chase-down block, Herro was instead called for a foul, much to the chagrin of the Heat faithful.
