Marcus Smart is just fine, thank you very much.
After missing six weeks with a left calf tear, there were questions about whether the tenacious guard would be able to keep up his All-NBA defense, and his lackluster performances in March didn't quell those fears. Smart was slow on defense and erratic on the offensive end, with his nadir coming against the Pelicans on March 29, when he forgot how much time was on the shot clock.
But about two weeks later, we can comfortably say Smart is back. His showing in Boston's incredible 116-115 victory over the Trail Blazers Tuesday was an ultimate throwback performance.
Smart produced one of the hustle highlights of the season in the second quarter, diving for a loose ball on one end of the court, only to race back to the other end and steal the rock five seconds later.
All night long, Smart was a force on defense. He owned his assignment against Damian Lillard, limiting the All-Star guard to just 39.1 percent shooting during the game. Most impressively, Lillard, who took over the NBA Bubble last summer with his dazzling three-point ability, only made one shot outside of the paint while Smart was guarding him.
While Jayson Tatum led the way with 32 points, including the game-clinching trey, Smart's defense might've been the key to victory (he added 13 points as well). He certainly iced the win, when he purposefully missed his two late-game free throws, allowing Kemba Walker and Tatum to trap the Portland rebounder as time expired. It was a great call from Brad Stevens.
With Tatum thriving, the Celtics should be competitive in every game. Smart reminded us Tuesday he's one of the ingredients who can put them over the top.
