It was tough sledding for the Celtics early in their Game 2 matchup with the Nets.
Brooklyn, notably not led by Kevin Durant, came out firing and built a 45-31 early second-quarter lead. For all of their success this year, Boston (-3.5 favorites) looked unprepared for the moment against a more experienced — or, on paper, talented — team.
The situation seemingly got even worse when Marcus Smart, the newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year, seemed to seriously hurt his left hand early on in the proceedings. By no means does the Celtics’ offense run through Smart, but he remains a vital scoring option as a complement to his defensive excellence.
In other words: It was Code Red at the TD Garden.
they showed this on the TNT Overtime feed during the TV timeout following what appeared to be Marcus Smart hurting his left hand. he came out of the huddle back into the game, then made a free throw, a three-pointer, and a layup in traffic. pic.twitter.com/vzXskyrkYN
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 21, 2022
Oof. That doesn’t look good.
There’s often a funny irony when it comes to the playoffs. You expect a player to wilt in those moments because they’re injured or sick. Understandable, given their predicament. Instead, they’re seemingly the ones laying down incredibly clutch shots in clutch moments.
Why do I say this, you ask? Because it was Smart, hurt hand and all, who finally buried the Nets for good on a tough finish.
With that hurt left hand.
Yessir @smart_MS3!!! pic.twitter.com/cjJvNVLBe7
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 21, 2022
Like I said: A funny irony.
Smart hurts his hand, then uses those same five digits to drive a dagger through the Nets’ heart in a 114-107 win. Amazing. You couldn’t write a better sports script. Take a bow, Mr. Smart. It’s clearly been your week.
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