Ex-Celtics Star Has Kind Words For Former Team, Jayson Tatum
Marcus Smart was back in Boston
Former Boston Celtics star Marcus Smart returned to TD Garden with the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. He didn’t play, however, sitting out the Lakers’ 126-105 loss with a left lumbar muscle strain. Luka Doncic and LeBron James were also sidelined.
Smart, 31, hasn’t played since Nov. 25. However, he was still excited to return to TD Garden, which he called home for the first nine years of his NBA career from 2014 to 2023.
“The emotions are the same every time (coming back). This was my home for nine years,” Smart told Celtics reporter Bobby Manning. “It was crazy…emotions are always gonna be the same here.”
While Boston’s roster has changed a lot since he left, he’s not surprised by the team’s success this season in spite of recent trades and injuries.
“It’s exactly what I assumed. When you’ve got a foundation like the Celtics do, it’s easy to buy in,” Smart said. “They’re doing their thing.”
The veteran guard also wished his former teammate, Jayson Tatum, a speedy recovery from his Achilles injury. The two played together for six seasons in Boston, and Smart hopes to see Tatum back on the court soon.
“I have been in contact with him here and there. He’s in good spirits, he’s good and it’s all love,” Smart told Manning. “I wish him a speedy recovery. We hate to see that in any sport to any player, but to a guy of Jayson’s pedigree, his talent, that’s tough. That hurts for the league, and obviously for Boston.”
