The frustration that many Celtics fans continually feel with Marcus Smart was personified in one 10-second span late in the fourth quarter Friday.
With the Warriors leading 97-94, Smart took two 3-pointers on a crucial Boston possession, and missed them both.
Smart went 7-of-18 from the field and finished with just five assists. His shot wasn't falling, and yet, he kept shooting.
That's not to say they were all bad shots. Early in the aforementioned Celtics possession, Jaylen Brown passed the ball to Smart, who was open in the corner.
Clank!
Brown corralled the offensive rebound, giving the Celtics new life. That's when Smart's inflated sense of offensive self-worth really hurt them. The Celtics were working the ball around and trying to find a good shot when Jayson Tatum passed the ball to Smart at the top of the perimeter.
Rather than wait for something to develop, Smart hoisted up another three. This one ricocheted off the front rim.
Smart is just 3-for-47 on clutch 3s in the playoffs.
It would be wrong to pin Boston's late-game struggles entirely on Smart. The Celtics made just two shots over the final seven minutes, allowing the Warriors to close out the game on a 21-6 run to even up the series.
Celtics first 7:30 of the 4th quarter
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) June 11, 2022
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Celtics final 4:30 of the 4th quarter pic.twitter.com/HV5J2DRuL2
Tatum was especially invisible. He's shooting just 34 percent from the field in the series.
Steph Curry, meanwhile, exploded for 43 points — and hit two insane 3s in the fourth.
The Celtics aren't going to win if Curry dramatically outplays Tatum. They're also not going to win if their mediocre offensive point guard continues to shoot like Curry, without the whole making shots part.
