For Marcus Smart, it was just a routine play. There was a loose ball on the floor and he was going to dive for it and he was going to get it. That’s just how he was wired. Except, unlike the hundreds of times he dove on the ball in high school and college, Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett wanted the ball too and he seldom lost those matches. Both players hit the floor, but Smart got their quicker and had enough time to throw the outlet over the tumbling Garnett. The crowd erupted in appreciation of the hustle play, but the biggest nod was from the ex-Celtic Smart was wrestling with.
Marcus Smart’s role evolution
