Inside a joyous visitors' locker room at State Farm Arena in the immediate aftermath of the Celtics’ Game 6 win to close out its first-round series with the Hawks, Boston coach Joe Mazzulla took a moment to single out his team’s starting point guard.
"That’s the f—ing Marcus Smart we know and want," Mazzulla said to cheers from teammates and staff. "When you’re that, we’re great."
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Smart channeled some of his DPOY energy while basically erasing Trae Young in the second half of Game 6. But a head-slapping stint early in the fourth quarter led to a quick hook for Smart. He collected himself for a brilliant crunch-time stint as the Celtics got to the finish line of a grittier-than-expected series.
As the Celtics turn the page to the Philadelphia 76ers and Monday’s Game 1 at TD Garden, Boston very much needs that version of Smart.
While so much of the attention in this series will fall on superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, or Al Horford’s thirst for revenge, or Derrick White’s two-way impact, the final quarter of the Hawks series was a firm reminder of just how much Boston’s ceiling gets elevated when Smart plays with focus and poise.
"[Smart] was an X-factor," said Malcolm Brogdon. "He was really focused and really great on both ends."
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Game 5 wasn't Smart’s finest moment, culminating with him getting whistled for a foul after launching into Young in an effort to make the sort of winning play that Smart is known for. Instead, it put Young -- who tapped at his temples to suggest he had baited Smart into the whistle -- at the free throw line in a key spot.
Smart got redemption in Game 6. Hawks players combined for 10 points on 4-of-12 shooting when Smart was the primary defender, per NBA tracking. Young had eight of those points, but after a loud first half missed all seven shots he attempted in the fourth quarter while playing all 12 minutes.
Smart checked back in with 6:48 to play in the fourth and the Celtics trailing by a point. He delivered an immediate turnover that Atlanta turned into points. Smart then misfired on two 3-pointers. With 5:01 remaining in the game, Mazzulla gave Smart a quick hook.
He was back on the court 29 seconds later and was much more locked in. Smart assisted on Horford’s go-ahead 3-pointer with a pretty pass to the corner with 3:35 to go. Smart then hit a redemption 3 of his own to essentially seal the win and followed up with a strong drive for a layup to stiff-arm any thoughts of a late rally.
Smart’s defensive versatility will be key against Philadelphia, whether Joel Embiid plays or not. The James Harden/Tyrese Maxey backcourt takes center stage if Embiid is limited. Harden had as many turnovers (two) as field goals in the 13 minutes of matchup time against Smart this season, per NBA tracking. To be fair, Harden took only three shots over 66 possessions, but even that suggests that Harden is more content to go into facilitator mode when Smart is the primary defender.
If Embiid is able to suit up in the series, Smart can be a changeup option to defend him, or simply a pest while scrambling with the occasional double team.
Forsberg: How Celtics are preparing for Sixers amid Embiid uncertainty
But the biggest key for Smart might be simply quarterbacking the offense. Boston’s assist percentage was a team-best 62.3 percent during his 186 minutes of floor time in Round 1 -- a 3.1 percent spike over the team’s overall output. The Celtics can stress the Sixers, with Embiid or without, by playing with pace and consistently putting points on the board.
A couple of other keys to this series for Boston:
Defending Tyrese Maxey in focus
If Embiid is limited, then third-year guard Maxey becomes the focal point after leading the Sixers in scoring in Round 1.
In four games this season, the Celtics tasked White with being the primary defender on Maxey. All of Boston’s top options held up well during the season:
If the Celtics dispatch Smart to be the main disruptor on Harden, then White and Brogdon will be in the spotlight against Maxey. They can use their size to disrupt him and should be well prepped after having to chase the Young/Dejounte Murray backcourt throughout the Hawks series.
Seeing Grant Williams among the Maxey defenders is a good reminder of how vital he could be in this series. He’s a big body to put on the court to help muscle Embiid, but his versatility could be important regardless of Sixers personnel.
Horford's intensity should help vs. Sixers
Boston’s propensity to play down against a weakened opponent is well-documented. Most recently, the Celtics didn’t bring the necessary energy against the Murray-less Hawks with a chance to close out in Game 5.
If you’re worried about the Celtics downshifting given Embiid’s uncertainty, it’s understandable. The counter argument is that Boston’s core has a longstanding history with the Sixers, which should inspire a bit more focus -- especially because of Horford’s presence.
Horford, you’ll remember, got a big payday to sign with the rival Sixers after Boston’s disastrous 2019 playoffs. It was Horford who drew much of the ire for Philadelphia’s immediate failure after the team elected to deal Jimmy Butler and hook their wagon to Ben Simmons that same summer. After just one season, the Sixers salary dumped Horford to Oklahoma City.
Horford knows he’ll hear boos in Philadelphia. That will only motivate the soon-to-be 37-year-old big man. Horford showed some rare bravado after Game 6 in Atlanta while suggesting it usually ends bad when your trash talk him, as Hawks fans found out after his big late-game 3-pointer.
Horford’s intensity ought to ensure that there’s no letdown for the Celtics in this series.