Marcus Smart Scores Career-High, Records Game-Winning Assist to Beat Cavs

Down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals headed into Cleveland without its leading scorer, Isaiah Thomas, Boston came away victorious on Sunday night in part because of the herculean effort of former Oklahoma State point guard Marcus Smart.

With Thomas out of the lineup and ruled out for the playoffs, Smart was awarded the starting job — and he responded with his best game as a Celtic. Smart scored a career-high (and team-high) 27 points, hit 8-of-14 from the floor, and was able to keep his team hanging around with his sharpshooting from beyond the arc. (Yes, you read that right.)

He made 7 of his 10 3-point attempts to lead a comeback from 21 points, securing a most unlikely win to prevent Cleveland from a third consecutive series sweep this postseason.

Marcus Smart drains the three and it's a TIED GAME midway through the 4Q! ? #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/6mb4jqlqf5

— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 22, 2017

Smart also notched seven assists on the night, and none was more important than his last one — which set up Avery Bradley for the game-winner.

Here is the game-winning Avery Bradley shot that bounced in!pic.twitter.com/98Bgxa99VZ

— The Shadow League (@ShadowLeagueTSL) May 22, 2017

Isaiah Thomas’ absence put a wrench in the series after he was ruled out earlier today for the rest of the series with a hip injury, but Smart’s unexpected emergence at point guard was huge for the Celtics. During the regular season, Boston was 13-11 when he started, and of his four previous playoffs starts, his team lost each one.

That was quite the opposite case in Game 3.

While it’s safe to assume Smart won’t go 7-of-10 from the 3-point line each game (did he think he was playing Memphis in Gallagher-Iba?), his play is an encouraging sign that has given the Celtics new life in the series that many had already moved on from in previewing a Warriors-Cavs rematch.

With Boston winning 111-108 on Sunday, it now has guaranteed the series will at least go five games. Game 4 will be played on Tuesday in Cleveland before shifting back to Boston for Game 5.