The Boston Celtics snapped their five-game winning streak against the Houston Rockets tonight, falling 109-93 in a demoralizing loss that stung even more with a familiar face dominating the opposing court. It was their fifth game in eight nights, and with Paul George sitting out the second night of a back-to-back, the Celtics were already up against it.
The Marcus Smart Experience Hit Different
Why did the Celtics take such a gut punch? It’s tough to say, but it all came down to Marcus Smart. The former Celtic was absolutely everywhere on the floor for Houston. Sure, his stat line of 2-for-10 from the field and a mere +5 off the bench doesn’t tell the whole story, especially when Alperen Segun paced all scorers with 26 points on 12-of-15 shooting. But Smart’s impact was undeniable. After he checked into the game at the 4:35 mark of the third quarter, Boston managed to cut the lead down to four. And then, folks, the Marcus Smart Experience happened. To start the fourth quarter, he was called for two consecutive dead ball defensive fouls, only to follow those up with back-to-back threes. That right there is the pure, unfiltered Marcus Smart we all know. By the time he checked out midway through the final frame, Houston was up 100-82.
Smart has bounced around four different teams since leaving Boston in 2023, even having a stint with the Lakers last season. But hooking up with Ime Udoka in Houston seems to be the right fit. Udoka himself gets it, saying, “There are some guys who have that defensive mentality, but it’s rare to have a guy who comes into the game and impacts it the way he does on that side of the ball. You saw it with Dillon, you saw it with Pat (Beverley). There are certain guys you have to prepare for because of what they do defensively. He’s one of them.” Smart echoed that feeling, adding that Udoka’s “mentality matched mine. He allowed me to be me without any persecution.”
Boston’s Search for a Defensive Identity
For the Celtics, finding someone to fill Smart’s defensive shoes has been a challenge. They’ve had several candidates step up for those “Tommy Point” contributions. Walsh’s on-ball defense made him a starter earlier in the year. Scheierman chips in with the occasional hustle play or heady pass. Gonzalez often has the flair for the dramatic. But let’s be real, no single player has managed to solely take the mantle from Smart, and that was glaringly obvious tonight. The Rockets, now 6-1, back up the league’s most efficient offense with the ninth stingiest defense. With Fred Van Vleet and Smart now at the point, they’ve got very few weaknesses to exploit.
This loss is a tough pill to swallow for Boston. They’ve got to figure out how to replicate that unique defensive intensity Smart brought if they want to get back to their winning ways.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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