Former Boston Celtics MVP candidate Isaiah Thomas had kind words for his ex-teammate Marcus Smart after the Cs clinched an Eastern Conference finals berth.
The love between former Boston Celtics teammates Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas doesn’t seem ready to go away anytime soon despite the fact that it has been over three years since the two shared a locker-room.
First there was the pair sharing the same picture of the two hugging it out with different captions. Smart said that Thomas was the “best to ever do it under 6ft”, while Thomas’ read:
"“If you want to win put Marcus Smart in” one of my favorite teammates ever. Real deal best defender in terms of being able to guard 1-5 on any night"
Well, the #5 finisher in MVP voting in 2017 has returned the phrase:
“Want to win, put Marcus smart in” I been saying this https://t.co/2N64siQiDz
— Isaiah Thomas (@isaiahthomas) September 12, 2020
Evidently, he has been saying this.
Smart was a key component in the Celtics’ Game 7 victory over the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference semifinals. His block on Norman Powell in the final two minutes was one of the momentum shifting plays that ultimately led to a Boston series win.
Thomas and Smart were teammates in Smart’s first season, and Thomas’ presence immediately shifted the team’s mindset from rebuilding to competing for a playoff spot. In the two years that followed, the team reached the postseason. In 2017, the pair shared the experience of reaching the Eastern Conference finals.
This is Smart’s second trip to the ECF since Thomas was traded away that summer, but the first with the man they traded him for–Kyrie Irving–off the team. Smart is a starter by default this season because of injury, but perhaps Thomas is advocating for a starting spot for the 2014 lottery pick even when Gordon Hayward returns.
What do you think Celtics fans? Is Thomas right about Boston’s need to play Smart if they want to win?
Let us know in the comments section below!