Tucked away in the Game 1 box score is a tidy stat line of 18 points (4-of-7 from behind the arc), 4 assists, and 2 steals. The player only played three minutes in the fourth quarter to mop up and close out the comeback that earned the Celtics home court advantage and a 1-0 lead in The NBA Finals. Teammates Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Al Horford were the headlines. The poor shooting but advanced playmaking of Jayson Tatum was a bigger story.
But below the fold was Marcus Smart, Boston’s longest tenured Celtic, and his calming influence as the heart and soul of the team.