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The Boston Celtics and Marcus Smart, are gearing up to take on the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals tonight at the FTX Arena.
The Boston Celtics had a tough start to the season amid unrest between players and head coach Ime Udoka. However, they put together an incredible run of wins, finishing as the second seed in the East.
Their up-tick in form has primarily been due to Marcus Smart's incredible defensive plays, with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown complementing him well. However, the defensive stalwart is suffering from a mid-foot sprain. It is the latest blow in an injury-plagued postseason as he missed Game 1 of this series against the Miami Heat and his importance to the team's success cannot be overstated.
Marcus Smart is probable for tonight's game against Miami Heat
The Boston Celtics have officially listed Marcus Smart as probable for tonight's Game 2 against the Miami Heat. The defensive stalwart is suffering a mid-foot sprain. Considering he is listed as probable, Smart is in all likelihood going to participate in the game unless there is a concern during the warm up.
Smart beat the likes of Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz and Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns for the coveted DPOY award. In the process, he became the first guard to win the honor since Gary Payton in the 90s.
Smart leads the Celtics' suffocating defense. He can seamlessly guard multiple positions and bigger players than him, wreaking havoc with his aggressive style of play and quick hands. That is what the Celtics missed in Game 1 as Smart would have been the primary defender on Jimmy Butler who ended up dropping over 40 points on the night.
Smart's footwork is also underrated, but he can get to the perimeter and also be an absolute nuisance on the interior, making him a key player for the Celtics along with Al Horford, who also missed Game 1. The presence of the duo on the defensive end of the floor could have made the difference for Boston.
Offensively, he's important to Boston's ball movement. Smart averaged 12.1 points and nearly six assists per game during the regular season, shooting 42% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. These are not eye-catching numbers, but they demonstrate his offensive efficacy.
Holding on to championship aspirations, the Boston Celtics will need to take a split on the road and defend home court in Games 3 and 4 and for that they will need Marcus Smart's presence on the floor.
Guess the Lakers players!
