If there’s a spirit animal for the Celtics, it’s Marcus Smart.
He’s just an emotional key for us,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Smart’s opening steal that lead to the team’s first points. “When he’s locked in and playing on both sides of the ball at a different pace, it gives us our identity and our life.”
A few minutes later, Smart would hit back-to-back three pointers and Boston would head into the first timeout up ten 15-5 and the team wouldn’t look back. In the opening five minutes, they’d register two 3’s, three layups and dunks, and force four turnovers en route 110-97 big win back in Boston.