BOSTON -- On a night Marcus Smart did all the typical Marcus Smart things -- diving into the crowd to save a loose ball, standing up for a teammate after a hard foul, making a timely steal when his team needed it most -- everyone from his teammates to LeBron James gushed about the impact he has when he's on the court.
The Celtics improved to 8-2 since Smart returned from thumb surgery late in Boston's first-round triumph over the Milwaukee Bucks and his combination of hustle, grit and toughness have moved Boston two wins away from an improbable trip to the NBA Finals.