Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart says NBA players are "gonna end up protecting ourselves eventually" in altercations with fans after he got tangled up with a spectator during Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets.
In the fourth quarter, Smart fell into the front row of fans at the Pepsi Center while chasing a loose ball. When he got up, he exchanged words with a fan nearby.
"My foot got stuck in a chair, and the fan told me, 'That's right, stay on the ground, get on your knees,'" Smart said after the Celtics' 96-92 loss.