Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart isn’t backing down from the challenge at hand Sunday night.
Going up against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of their first-round series, Smart was questionable hours leading to 7 p.m. ET. tipoff from State Farm Arena. Boston’s defensive leader went down after attempting to secure a rebound, colliding with teammate Al Horford, causing a tailbone injury.
But Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla put an end to the anticipation surrounding Smart’s status ahead of the postseason contest.
“(Smart is) good to go,” Mazzulla told reporters Sunday, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Considering what Smart delivered in Game 3, this comes as major news for Boston.
In Game 3, Smart found his stride on the offensive end. He scored a season-high 24 points with eight rebounds and three assists. Smart’s defensive intensity didn’t take a break either, recording three steals in the 130-122 loss.
Despite a frustrating performance, highlighted by Boston allowing 44 points to Atlanta’s bench, Smart wasn’t hesitant in giving the Hawks their rightfully-earned credit in making the series more interesting.
“It’s just a matter of will and they wanted it more tonight,” Smart told reporters Friday night, as seen on NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “… They get second-chance shots, they get to feeling good. So we do a good job of our first-shot defense, just gotta clean it up with rebounds.”
If the Celtics can bounce back in Game 4, they’ll secure a series-clinching opportunity when the series returns to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday night.
