The defensive culture Marcus Smart helped create for the Celtics is brought to light by his return to Boston.
The return of Marcus Smart to TD Garden on Sunday is sure to be emotional, and although the former guard for the Celtics is out due to a finger injury, Joe Mazzulla is still holding out hope that he can produce one of his iconic performances.
“Perhaps in a timeout, he can dive on the floor for a loose ball and roll one out. I’m not sure if his hand hurts still,” the Celtics coach stated.
That’s unfortunate news, since Smart—who is currently with the Grizzlies—is still healing from the injury he sustained to his right finger last month. On Sunday, however, Smart will be present in the building, and his presence will bring back fond memories of one of the most cherished players in recent Celtics history. There will be a special celebration and a memorial video, planned.
Just before midnight on June 21, after nine seasons with the Celtics, which included innumerable hustle plays and memorable moments that endeared him to the city, an NBA Finals berth, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and all of the charity and community work that made him a fixture in Boston, Smart was shockingly traded to the Grizzlies in a deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.
The feelings were unfiltered. His teammates on the Celtics also experienced astonishment. On Saturday, Payton Pritchard described it as “wild to see.” In spite of the fact that this decision demonstrated the Celtics’ confidence in Derrick White as their starting point guard, Brad Stevens said that it was difficult to make given how much Smart meant to the team and the community.
Smart seems a little let down. He said that the Celtics had informed him the week prior that they had no intention of trading him after the trade. He claimed that the news caught him off guard. His fiancée contacted his agency while he was asleep, waking him to inform him. However, that didn’t lessen his affection for the city in where he was raised and rose to fame. In many respects, he was irreplaceable, even though it was time for the Celtics to move on from him.
“I’ve always said you just find different ways to be able to do it, you don’t replace a guy like him,” Mazzulla remarked. “So, his identity will always be ingrained in the city of Boston due to his community service and his work here, simply representing the team. I believe he was one of the guys who established our defensive foundation prior to my arrival because it was of a high caliber and involved the execution of various coverages. Thus, as I mentioned, what he offers in terms of mentality and defensive effort, as well as who he is off the court. It will be pleasant to meet him.
With Smart back, the defense and the bar for grit and toughness he set throughout his nine seasons will be brought back to mind. Jaylen Brown made it a point to prioritize defense after Smart was moved in order to make sure the Celtics wouldn’t falter there without him.
Without Smart, the Celtics’ defense has remained among the top five. Another seasoned All-Defensive guard, Jrue Holiday, has been a great asset. White has continued to produce well on defense, while Brown has played the best defense of his career.
All it looks like is a slight change. However, nobody is as adept at it as Smart.
Mazzulla remarked, “I think it just looks different; you don’t replace it.” “I think just focusing on everyone’s strengths and what they can do, like when Jayson Tatum dove on the floor for a loose ball (on Thursday night), Derrick’s winning plays, the back tips in transition, and Jrue’s unwavering intensity,” I believe all you need to do is show how each player’s idea of toughness relates to our team’s success. Jaylen’s individual defense, for example, is just as difficult as another player’s; it just looks different.
Nonetheless, there’s no denying that Smart laid the foundation for the Celtics’ ongoing defensive mentality. Among other things, Sunday will be an opportunity to recognize that.
“I believe that when a guard plays as hard as he does, he can guard point guards, centers, pick up the entire court, box out, charge, and do all those little things that I think go into it,” Mazzulla remarked. “I also believe that he won defensive player of the year because, as the first guard since Gary Payton, he’s kind of what started it,” Mazzulla added. “I think that’s kind of what started it.”
