Marcus Smart Reveals Lasting Memory From Run With Celtics

Marcus Smart shared how he will look back on his nine years with the Boston Celtics with gratitude and appreciation for the organization, his teammates and the fanbase that supported him so earnestly.

Unfortunately for those fans who worshipped the hard-nosed guard — and for Smart himself — his run in Boston came to an end when he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a deal that netted the Celtics Kristaps Porzingis.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the trade, Smart on Sunday covered a wide range of topics including how he found out about the trade, the emotions that have been expressed, the only “regret” from his Celtics tenure as well as the lasting memories he’ll take with him.

“For me, I would probably have to say, the one memory is last year when we made our Finals run, how close we became,” Smart told reporters while hosting a pro-am game in Stoughton, Mass., per CLNS Media.

“And it really started after the comment where it got kind of taken out of context what I was saying about how other teams were guarding the Jays,” Smart said in reference to his comment involving Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. “And we went through a stretch where it was tough for us. And for us to be able to click like we did and make our run, it was very memorable.”

After blowing an 18-point lead against the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 1, 2021, Smart commented how Tatum and Brown “don’t want to pass the ball.” It prompted an unsurprising firestorm with countless analysts and fans believing the trio of Tatum, Brown and Smart could not play together. Well, Boston went on to have a remarkable in-season turnaround with Ime Udoka on the bench and advanced to the organization’s first NBA Finals of the Tatum-Brown era. Boston ultimately came up short against the Golden State Warriors.

In addition to that specific memory, Smart also indicated how he won’t soon forget the reception he and his Celtics teammates received from Boston fans each and every night.

“We obviously didn’t do and stand up to the standards that we set for ourselves early, with our last series versus the Heat and we lost in Game 7 at our place, but those fans were still there rocking and at the time I didn’t know that would be my last game as a Boston Celtic,” Smart said. “But the impression those fans left on me will always be remembered. And, like I said, I’m thankful to even have had the opportunity to say that I played for the Boston Celtics.”