J.R. Smith warned for untying Shawn Marion's shoe, tries it again on Greg Monroe
The NBA has warned, but not fined, J.R. Smith for reaching down to untie Shawn Marion's left shoe during a game, according to reports from the New York Post and the Bergen Record. The Postreported earlier this week that the league office was investigating the incident, which occurred during New York's 92-80 road victory over Dallas on Sunday.
That warning, however, wasn't enough to dissuade Smith from attempting to pull the same stunt during a Tuesday night game against the Pistons.
Smith untied Marion's left shoe when Dirk Nowitzki stepped to the foul line during the second quarter. Smith, who had just checked into the game, lined up alongside Marion, occupying the third stall on the right side of the paint. As Nowitzki went into his free throw routine, Smith bent down as if to check his shoes before reaching over to untie the laces on Marion's left shoe. Marion looked down, apparently catching Smith in the act, but by that point it was time to jockey for rebounding position and there was nothing he could do. Nowitzki buried the free throw, though, turning Smith's into a bit of pointless mischief.
On New York's next possession, Marion could be seen tying his shoe after Andrea Bargnani hit a short jumper near the free-throw line.
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Smith suggested on Twitter Monday that this wasn't the first time he has untied an opponent's shoe, writing that he does it "every game."
Indeed, during the first quarter of a Tuesday night game against the Pistons, Smith appeared to attempt to untie Greg Monroe's shoe during a free throw. Smith reached down with his right hand and contacted Monroe's left foot, but he did not succeed in untying the shoe as Monroe moved his foot.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson said during his pre-game comments Tuesday that he would address the first stunt with Smith.
"He shouldn't be doing stuff like that," Woodson said during his pre-game comments, according to ESPNNY.com. "I'm going to talk to him a little more about it when I get in there. His focus should just be on playing basketball. That's what it's about and those are things you just don't do. You think you've seen it all and something creeps in."
The 2013 Sixth Man of the Year has run afoul of the NBA league office on numerous occasions. Back in November, Smith was fined $25,000 for "directing hostile and inappropriate language" toward Pistons guard Brandon Jennings on Twitter. He also missed the first five games of the season because he was serving a suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug program.
Prior to this season, Smith's suspensions included: 10 games in 2006 for his role in an on-court fight and seven games in 2009 in response to a guilty plea in a reckless driving incident. He was also suspended for three games by the Nuggets in 2007 for his role in an incident at a Denver nightclub.
In addition, Smith drew a $5,000 fine from the NBA for flopping during the 2013 playoffs and a $25,000 fine in 2012 for posting an inappropriate photograph of a woman to his Twitter account.
Top video via YouTube user cjzerovids | Hat tip: @CJZero
Bottom video via YouTube user oakleyandallen | Hat tip: @YourManDevine
