The Boston Celtics finally realized a dream they have been working towards for the last 12 years and have reached the NBA Finals. They will look to double down and win their first NBA title in 14 years this season when they look to beat the dynastic Golden State Warriors.
Boston looks to become the most successful team in NBA history with an 18th NBA title this season, watching bitter rivals in the LA Lakers win 3 titles since they last won one. But it seems that they have the right personnel in terms of their motivation.
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year and Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is cut from the cloth of some of the grittiest players in NBA history. He stands on the precipice of history if he can win the 18th NBA title for Boston after the season he has had, and is motivated towards achieving just that:
Marcus Smart – “I’ve gone from a naive southern kid to a championship starved Bostonian. I won't settle for anything less than Banner 18.”
— BostonCelticsForever (@BostonCelts4eva) May 30, 2022
Despite winning DPOY, Smart is the third option on the Celtics behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The guard-forward combo has always been considered unconventional, but Ime Udoka has found a way to maximize the two players on the court together, along with Smart being the perfect on-court buffer between them.
Smart has become a better facilitator on the team, primarily due to the chemistry he has with Brown and Tatum. This team has become a well-oiled machine and all parts have been working the best they can. Maybe it is because the team can rest knowing they have players like Smart, Brown, and Tatum.
The Warriors stand favorites to win the NBA title, so the Celtics will have to prove their ability on the court and pull off this upset. The dream of adding another banner to the rafters cannot be completed easily, and all of these players know that. Even if they have been in a championship series before or not.
