Three Takeaways from the Celtics Win Over the Nets

Player of the game — Marcus Smart

While Marcus Smart may never be the leading scorer or the flashiest player on the team, make absolutely no mistake about it — he is the heart and soul of these Boston Celtics.

His energy on defense is noted and for good reason, head coach Brad Stevens is afforded the luxury to just assign Smart to the opposing team’s talent guard or even forward at times and rest easy that the opposing player will earn every single point he scores.

But what is not mentioned is his energy on offense.

When the Celtics have fast break opportunities, Smart is often the one sprinting the floor to pull away lingering defenders to allow 1-on-1 opportunities for guys like Irving, Tatum and Brown — an extremely valuable skill yet many fans will not notice that and it won’t even be recorded on a stat sheet.

What will be recorded on the stat sheet, however, will be his 12 points coming by the way of 4-3-point makes on 8 attempts, 7 assists and 2 steals.

His impact on offense can be debated by some, but what can not be debated is his mental approach to the game.

Smart plays the game as if his life depends on it, wears his heart on his sleeve, wants to win more than anything else and is not afraid to stare down the opposing team’s bench after they trash talk him for missing shots.

Marcus Smart and the Celtics will have their hands full with Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers, as they look to continue this win streak this Wednesday at 7:00pm EST at TD Garden.