Smart Proves Why He’s Vital To Celtics’ Success In Game 5 Win originally appeared nbc sports boston
Boston — Sometimes, marcus smart Reminds us that he is still the emotional leader of the Celtics.
That reminder came just 17 seconds into Game 5 on Thursday night.
On the Miami Heat’s opening possession, Smart evaded a driving Bam Adebayo, dove headfirst to secure the loose ball, and shoveled the pass. jason tatumwho went coast-to-coast to wow TD Garden crowds.
Smart’s extra effort set the tone for the Celtics, who jumped out to a 15-point lead in the first quarter and Never looked back in 110-97 victory, After falling down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Seas rallied to win two straight and put serious pressure on the Heat entering Game 6 in Miami on Saturday night.
Derrick White (a team-high 24 points) and Tatum (21 points and a season-high 11 assists) both played key roles in Boston’s Game 5 victory. But Smart was the engine that drove the Celtics on both ends.
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“Smart was just a beast tonight,” jaylen brown said after the game. “I don’t know what game you guys were watching, but Marcus was incredible on both sides of the ball tonight. It was a great performance from him.”
while the Celtics are used to 2023 NBA Hustle Award Winner While making the effort, Smart upped his offensive game as well, matching his 2023 playoff high with 24 points on 7-of-12 shooting. He and White combined to hit 10 3-pointers, a deadly recipe for opponents to stop Tatum and Brown.
Tatum said, “You need everybody at some point to get on the big stage, and we won tonight because of Smart and D-White.” “Those two guys, their ability to hit shots tonight, spread the defense, and then make plays on the defensive end – we drained their energy tonight.”
The Celtics needed an energy boost after an embarrassing Game 3 loss in Miami, which left what appeared to be an insurmountable deficit. But after the C’s rallied to win Game 4, Smart made sure to set the tone in Game 5, and his team shut out a Heat team built on hustle.
Boston topped Miami in essentially every Hustle stat, from points off turnovers (27 to 19) to second chance points (17 to 7) to steals (13 to six). It all started with Smart’s offensive mindset, which the Celtics will need to carry Saturday night in Miami for what should be their toughest test post-season.
“He’s just an emotional key for us,” head coach Joe Majulla Smart added. “When he plays and plays at a different pace on both sides of the ball, it gives us our identity and our lives.”
