Marcus Smart has always seen the basketball court as a place of refuge.
It was that way as a kid growing up on the rough south side of Dallas, as a high school star transplanted to suburban Flower Mound, as a college phenom at Oklahoma State. Even though his bull-in-a-china-shop style might convince NBA types otherwise, Smart is never more tranquil than when he is on the court.
The hardwood will even be haven Thursday as Smart and the Boston Celtics travel to Oklahoma City to face tough environs and a desperate team.
"Being on the court is a great thing for me," Smart said in a phone interview after practice the other day.