Marcus Smart overcomes shooting woes and impacts Game 1 as a playmaker

For a guy that struggles as much with his shot as Marcus Smart does, it seems like he has every other base covered in inflicting his will on a basketball game.

Between providing elite perimeter defense and versatility, diving on the floor for a loose ball or grabbing an offensive rebound in impossible traffic, it comes to no surprise when Brad Stevens consistently includes Smart in his most crucial lineups.

Before Game 1 on Sunday, I wrote about how the Celtics had an advantage with Smart against the Cleveland back court’s weak defense, especially in the post. Smart scored twice in the post during the blowout and should have more opportunities over the course of the series, but it was his…