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The Los Angeles Lakers began the 2025-26 season with a deflating 119-109 defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.
Midway through the contest, ex-Boston Celtics fan-favorite and 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart made a notable play in his Lakers debut, but for the wrong reason.
At the 5:33 mark of the second quarter with the Lakers trailing 39-35, Smart and Golden State's 4-time NBA champion Stephen Curry got tangled up, eventually leading to the latter hitting the floor and the former being assessed a flagrant foul 1.
Following the game, the Lakers' free agent signing from this past summer was asked by media members Thursday for his opinion on the play and if he has taken action to get the call reversed by the NBA.
"I haven't appealed anything yet, (we're) still talking," Smart shared with ESPN's Dave McMenamin on Thursday afternoon.
"Obviously being on the other end (of the call), you definitely disagree."
"I thought my movement got impeded and then it led to something else when they called a flagrant. But you move on, it is what it is."
"My thing is 'control what we can control,' and I can't control how those officials make the call."
The 31-year-old defender has built a reputation throughout his 12-year NBA career as a game-wrecking guard due in large part to his physicality.
Unfortunately for Smart, the referees deemed that the force he exerted against Golden State's superstar breached another level of physicality, namely when he took hold of Curry's shoulder and twisted his body downward.
While there was not an opportunity to challenge the call in the immediate aftermath of the exchange, Smart believes that he may have a case if he appeals the decision with the league office.
In his debut with the Lakers, Smart contributed nine points and one steal with three turnovers and four personal fouls while shooting 50% from the floor in 23 minutes of action.
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