Marcus Smart: ‘I’m finally in the right position that fits me and helps the team’
Keith Smith: Marcus Smart: “I don’t know how else to say it, but I’m finally in the right position that fits me and helps the team.”
Source: Twitter @KeithSmithNBA
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Jaylen Brown on Marcus Smart at point guard: “We believe in him and empower him.” – 10:38 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Jaylen Brown on Marcus Smart: “He’s been great. He’s running the show. He’s the point man. We empower him and believe in him. Marcus is a huge part of the turnaround.” – 10:38 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Jaylen Brown on Marcus Smart at point guard: “Marcus has been running the show. We’re trusting him to be the point person and he’s made it easier for everybody. … He’s a big reason why our team has really turned it around.” – 10:38 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart, Celtics offense toxicologist: “9 times out of 10, the poison that you pick isn’t good for you.” – 10:18 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart: “The only way is to have trust and confidence, individually and in each other.” – 10:17 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart on Boston’s dominant first quarter: “Having a blast. We were obviously not satisfied, but you have to enjoy those times because we’ve been through the other ways. We’ve been on the other end of those and they’re not pretty.” – 10:15 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart: “I don’t know how else to say it, but I’m finally in the right position that fits me and helps the team.” – 10:14 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart said he’s always been a point guard: “I’m finally in the right position.” – 10:14 PM
Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Marcus Smart: “Me and Deuce (Tatum) have a love-hate relationship,” he says joking. Says Deuce is always trying to give him the business. #Celtics – 10:13 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart: “Me and Deuce got a love-hate relationship.”
Went on to explain that Deuce is always trying to attack him. Finished with “But we all love Deuce. That’s our guy.” – 10:13 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart on whether he felt Deuce hit him during the inbounds pass: “I actually did. Deuce and I have a love-hate relationship.”
Lol – 10:13 PM
Mark Murphy @Murf56
Marcus Smart on those 37 assists, and his career-high 13: “We’re thinking great shot every time down right now.” – 10:11 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart on the Celtics ball movement: “It’s just selfless. We’re thinking great shot every time down. You might be the one to sacrifice, but you do it knowing the next time someone else will sacrifice for you.” – 10:11 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart on the Celtics’ ball movement: “It’s just selfless. We’re thinking great shot every time down.” – 10:11 PM
Mark Murphy @Murf56
Celtics finish with a season-high 37 assists – a career-high 13 from Marcus Smart. – 9:45 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Another easy win for the Celtics against a playoff team, beating the Jazz 125-97. Marcus Smart with a career-high 13 assists and they won the blocks battle 10-1 against Rudy Gobert somehow. – 9:44 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Salute to Marcus Smart taking a charge late in the third quarter while ahead 91-64. – 9:10 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
13 assists for Marcus Smart. That’s a new career-high for the CELTICS POINT GUARD. – 9:06 PM
Mark Murphy @Murf56
Marcus Smart has 13 assists – a career high – after that Derrick White three. – 9:05 PM
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Marcus Smart with a new career-high 13 assists in the third quarter. – 9:05 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
New career-high for Marcus Smart, who has 13 assists – 9:05 PM
Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
Marcus Smart (playing the best hoops of his life for a weeks now) is destroying the Jazz on both ends with an extra-special “I can’t believe you took Dante Exum one spot ahead of me” vigor. – 8:46 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
I’m pretty sure Marcus Smart said “I owe you one” to Jayson Tatum after firing up that airball – 8:33 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
10 assists for Marcus Smart with 2:00 to play in the first half. His career-high of 12 is in danger of falling tonight. – 8:32 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
Marcus Smart’s career high for assists is 12. He needs 3 more to to tie it – 8:10 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart is already 3 short of his career-high 12 assists and the second quarter is just starting – 8:08 PM
Mark Murphy @Murf56
Marcus Smart just had a nine-assist first quarter – 8:08 PM
Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
Marcus Smart with 9 first-quarter assists.
That ties the most in a quarter in Celtics history per @StatMuse. Rajon Rondo had 9 on November 14, 2014. pic.twitter.com/OeESpDNcdp – 8:06 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart has nine assists through one quarter. Sheesh. – 8:06 PM
Andy Larsen @andyblarsen
Marcus Smart has 9 assists in the quarter, the Jazz have 5. – 8:05 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
In the game’s first 9:58:
• Celtics shoot 13-15 overall
• C’s go 6-6 from 3
• Jaylen Brown 13 points
• Jayson Tatum 9 points
• Timelord Batman Williams 7 rebounds
• Marcus Smart 7 assists
Jazz trail 34-18. – 8:00 PM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Marcus Smart’s playmaking has been as big a reason as any for Boston’s success. Because Smart can handle those duties offensively, the Celtics can defend five positions at an elite level. – 7:59 PM
A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
The #Celtics are shooting the hell out of the ball, but lost in all their shot-making has been the dime-dropping by @Marcus Smart who has seven assists in 10 minutes of court time. Is this the best version of Marcus Smart we’re seeing? pic.twitter.com/7xd68PR96r – 7:59 PM
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Marcus Smart is on pace for a 30 assist game. – 7:58 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
The Marcus Smart haters haven’t only gone silent, they’ve completely disappeared from my mentions entirely. – 7:57 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
What a pass by Marcus Smart!
Six assists already for Smart in this one. – 7:56 PM
Adam Himmelsbach @AdamHimmelsbach
Marcus Smart has 6 assists in 8 minutes. – 7:56 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Celtics starters tonight:
Robert Williams
Al Horford
Jayson Tatum
Jaylen Brown
Marcus Smart
Jazz starters:
Rudy Gobert
Eric Paschall
Royce O’Neale
Donovan Mitchell
Mike Conley – 7:08 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Quin Snyder talked about coming to Utah in 2014 and spending time on the phone with Marcus Smart during the predraft process and coming away feeling“You just knew he was gonna be successful in this league.” The Jazz wound up drafting Dante Exum No. 5; Smart went 6th to Boston. – 6:20 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart and Robert Williams are both officially available, per the Celtics. – 6:12 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart and Robert Williams are both officially available to play tonight. – 6:12 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
Ime Udoka says Marcus Smart is in tonight… Robert Williams will test his right knee pregame but the expectation is that he’ll play – 6:10 PM
Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Marcus Smart and Robert Williams are both going to warm up with the intention of playing tonight, per Celtics coach Ime Udoka. – 5:52 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Ime Udoka says Marcus Smart is back from illness and Rob Williams will test out his right knee pre game but he is probable vs Utah. – 5:52 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart and Robert Williams are both expected to play, per Ime Udoka. Williams will test it out before the game though. – 5:51 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka said the assumption is that Marcus Smart and Robert Williams will both play tonight. – 5:51 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Al Horford said Robert Williams and Marcus Smart deserve to be in the conversation for the Defensive Player of the Year award. – 10:54 AM
More on this storyline
Back in November, Marcus Smart sent shockwaves across the Celtics roster when he publicly called out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown after an ugly home loss to the Chicago Bulls. “I would just like to play basketball,” Smart said in November when asked about the Celtics’ late-game offense. “Every team knows we are trying to go to Jayson and Jaylen and every team is programmed and studies to stop Jayson and Jaylen. I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys try to pass the ball. They don’t want to pass the ball and that’s something that they’re going to learn.” -via Booth Newspapers / February 18, 2022
In an appearance on the Old Man and the Three podcast with JJ Redick this week, Tatum opened up about his reaction to that criticism. “It caught me off guard for sure,” Tatum said. “I think you have to understand, with being in the NBA, especially sometimes after — we had just blown an 18-point lead to Chicago. This was the beginning of the season, we were 2-5, everybody was frustrated and on edge a bit.” -via Booth Newspapers / February 18, 2022
“I wasn’t angry or mad or anything,” Tatum said. “I just waited to the next day. I saw Marcus at the facility and we sat down and talked. It was a great talk actually. We had some time to sleep. The adrenaline was gone from the game. He apologized for what he said and that was something he shouldn’t have said in the media and that they got his words mixed up. I didn’t take offense. -via Booth Newspapers / February 18, 2022
