Last Tuesday, the Celtics faced the Bucks in a crucial Game 5 matchup with the series tied 2-2. The Cs led by only 2, 15-13, as time trickled down in the first quarter--an uninspiring showing up to that point.
Then Marcus Smart checked in.
Just over 30 seconds later, in his first action after weeks of being sidelined due to hand injury, Smart made a quintessential Marcus Smart play by diving onto the floor, stealing the ball, and then managing to roll it to Terry Rozier. A minute later, Smart sent the “Greek Freak” packing at the rim. As Cedric Maxwell so astutely observed, keeping a less-than-100% Marcus Smart from diving all over the floor is like trying to “tell a lion to eat mac and cheese.”
Full Marcus Smart G5 highlights...
This small dose of Marcus Smart was enough to extend the Celtics lead from 2 to 8 points at the end of the quarter, and while it may not seem incredibly significant, this little run ended up being the difference in the game, and even in the series.
This is what you get from the Celtics under Brad Stevens: players committed to giving it their all on every play and fighting with the utmost intensity.
Recent draft picks like Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart, who have been doubted and overlooked their entire careers, have turned out to be key pieces in what looks to be a rather successful 2018 campaign (considering that Irving and Hayward have been unavailable). Meanwhile, the high draft picks of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have met and even exceeded expectations, averaging roughly 18 points per game in these playoffs.
While this 2018 season is probably not going to end with banner 18 being raised to the rafters of the Garden, it’s safe to say that the Celtics have a very bright future.
Just imagine what this team will look like next year (assuming everyone is back, not a given with Danny Ainge managing the structure of the roster). If you’re willing to go small and put Al Horford at center, you will have the following starting lineup:
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Gordon Hayward
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Al Horford
This is not to mention Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Marcus Morris, and Co. coming off the bench.
And when they face a significantly bigger team, the Cs can simply throw in Baynes or whoever they find off the scrap heap at center, put Horford back at PF, and have Brown or Tatum come off the bench.
Does that not sound like a title-worthy team to you?
In my mind, the Celtics are not only the favorites to represent the East in The Finals next year, but they’re also at the beginning stages of being the next great dynasty--something Bostonians haven’t seen since Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish stopped walking “through that door” (in the eloquent words of Rick Pitino).
The duck boats don’t have to be revved up just yet, but make sure they’re ready, as they’ll be in high demand going forward.
(Stats via ESPN)
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