On April 18, Beijing time, the Celtics won 115-114 against the Nets, and after Jason Tatum scored a 360-degree turn to the basket in the team's final offense, the Celtics also defeated the Nets in a whistle-beating manner.
After this game, the Celtics also won the opening of the first round of this year's playoff series. Throughout the game, Jason Tatum scored 31 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds after playing up to 45 minutes, Jaylen Brown and Al Horford also scored 23 points and 20 points respectively, and Marcus Smart was able to get 20 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals on 8-of-17 shooting after 36 minutes.
Compared to the statistical performance of the whole game, Marcus Smart's calm possession of assisting Jason Tatum in the final moments of the game was also praised by the media:
After all, with only 3.5 seconds left in the game, Smart can still patiently make a fake move, and calmly pass the ball to Tatum who cut into the basket with two Nets defenders, which is undoubtedly a very frequent offense.
For Smart's decision to control the ball in the final moments of the game, head coach Amy Yuduka also praised Smart's decision after the game as a mature core organizer and a clear growth over the past year:
Not only that, but after this game, the league also announced that Marcus Smart was also on the shortlist for the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year, along with Suns Toughman Mikael Bridges and Jazz center Rudy Gobert:
This is undoubtedly good news for Smart, after all, compared to being a playmaker, Smart is also a player who can perform at the top of the league on the defensive end. So judging from Smart's performance above, his role as an organizer and defender this season is likely to reach the peak of his career.