"I'm the youngest of 4 boys; My whole life, you gotta fight, you gotta be tough" - Marcus Smart issues emphatic, emotional statement on his mental toughness after return to Boston Celtics' lineup, reigning DPOY says, "being the youngest, you ain't got no choice but to be tough"

Marcus Smart has credited his mental toughness to his early struggles growing up in a family where he was the youngest of four boys.

Having blossomed into a star in his role as a defensive maverick, Smart is one of the toughest players in the NBA now, mentally and physically. He has been in the league for eight years and has built a reputation for being a player who gives it all on the court.

After sitting out in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat, Smart returned to action for Game 2. He put in an emphatic performance to lead his team to a 127-102 win as the Boston Celtics leveled their ECF series with the Heat. Smart said after the game:

"I'm the youngest of four boys; my whole life you gotta fight, you gotta be tough. My whole life, that's how I been; I come from Texas, where football is prominent, I played football, and you know you built that. Like I said, being the youngest, you ain't gotta a choice but to be tough, and that's just how it was."

Smart scored 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds and made 12 assists. He was stellar at the defensive end as well to help the Celtics get a win on the night.

His presence made a big difference, as the Celtics looked energized and determined. Speaking about his mentality coming into the game, Smart said:

"For me today it was just come out and be as aggressive as you can and not let the same mistake happen. You know, we playing against a really really really good Miami team, and you know when you make mistakes, they make you pay for it and we gotta limit those mistakes and that was my mindset coming in, you know, get Jayson, Jaylen the ball; Al, get them their shots open and then take what the defense gives you."

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How important is Marcus Smart to Boston Celtics?

Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat - Game Two

Marcus Smart is one of the best defensive players in the NBA. He not only defends well in 1V1 situations but also takes charges and has quick hands, which helps him get steals. Having played eight seasons with the Celtics, he has only gotten better. After coming close in many years, he was finally awarded the Defensive Player of the Year trophy, which was well deserved.

Thanks to Smart, the Celtics have been one of the best defensive units in the league. Not only does he orchestrate the defense, but he also shows up big time at the offensive end of the floor. Smart is averaging 15.8 PPG and 6.7 APG on a decent 36.4% shooting in the playoffs.

In Game 1 against the Heat, the Celtics missed him in their starting lineup. However, he appeared to still engage with his teammates on the bench during timeouts. Marcus Smart is an integral part of the franchise, and they have immense faith in him, which is why he got a four-year extension last offseason.

The Celtics will need Marcus Smart to continue his Game 2 exploits against a strong Miami team to advance to their first NBA Finals since 2010.