Celtics look to build on Game 2
Smart supplied energy for turnaround win that gave Boston home-court edge
Marcus Smart brought the energy boost the Celtics needed to ignite a blowout win in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference finals matchup with the Heat.
Now armed with home-court advantage in the series, Boston will look to maintain its edge at TD Garden during Saturday’s Game 3, where it will be opposite a Miami team that is dealing with new health concerns.
A chance to lead a series is a welcome change in position for Boston, which had to play catch-up throughout its second-round series with Milwaukee before rallying to win Games 6 and 7. The Celtics are 4-0 following a loss this postseason.
Smart, the Defensive Player of the Year, said his goal was to bring the edge he’s become known for in Boston.
“Being the energy that I am, being the point guard that I am I take a lot of pressure off our guys so they don’t have to force it as much,” Smart said. “So that they can be who they are.”
Note: Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics was the leading vote-getter for the All-defensive first team, with Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns joining him as the other guard. Former Defensive Players of the Year Rudy Gobert of Utah and Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee were also voted Friday to the first team along with Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. Smart received 99 firstplace votes and 198 points from the panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Bridges, the runner-up to Smart for the league’s top defensive award, got 95 first-team votes and three second-team votes for a total of 193 points. Players received two points for a first-team vote and one for a second-team vote. Gobert, the three-time Defensive
Player of the Year, was a first-team Alldefensive selection for the sixth straight season. Antetokounmpo made it for the fourth straight season, which includes the 2019-20 season when he was both the NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson, who led the league with 2.27 blocks per game, is a first-time selection. The second team was Miami forward Bam Adebayo, Milwaukee guard Jrue Holiday, Philadelphia guard Matisse Thybulle, Boston center Robert Williams III and Golden State forward Draymond Green.