Think Marcus Smart was fired up to play in front of his friends and family?
After a nondescript start to his first NBA regular season, the Texas native found a new gear Monday night, helping the Boston Celtics engineer a furious comeback attempt that ultimately fell just short in a 118-113 loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
As the Celtics got to within striking distance early in the fourth quarter, head coach Brad Stevens opted for a three-guard lineup with Smart, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley on the floor together. It was around this time that Smart morphed into something resembling the Tasmanian Devil.
The rookie was everywhere over the game’s final nine minutes, collecting five points, four rebounds, three assists and one block (plus one unsuccessful flop) in that span alone.
His No. 1 highlight, though, is a matter of personal preference. You have this insane one-handed put-back (via @kyoo):
Or this nifty behind-the-back feed to Jared Sullinger:
We have a feeling folks in Boston are going to like this kid. Apparently, the rest of the world has taken notice, too.
[tweet https://twitter.com/peterstringer/status/529490001420361728 align=’center’]
Thumbnail photo via Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports Images
