It will surely be an emotional night for Marcus Smart on Saturday as he takes the floor for the first time at TD Garden since being traded by the Celtics to the Memphis Grizzlies last summer. Smart was injured last year when Memphis played in Boston but did receive a tribute video and a standing ovation from the crowd. Smart is listed as questionable this time around with a right ankle injury but the expectation is he will take the floor after returning to the game following the ankle sprain on Thursday night.
Smart has taken on a new role in Memphis since returning to the lineup last month, playing sixth man off the bench rather than his usual starter role. However, he played well in the role during his last game, posting 18 points and five assists in a Grizzlies win over Sacramento ahead of the tilt with Boston.
When the focus turned to his matchup Saturday, Smart wasn’t shy about boasting about his play.
“I’m sure they’ve seen how well I’ve been playing and will do everything to stop me from having a big game,” Smart told the Memphis Commercial Appeal Thursday. “This is a significant test for us.”
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Smart has played better off the bench in the past two weeks but he’s had a rough season overall in Memphis that’s been riddled by injuries. He’s averaging 9.8 points per game while shooting 37 percent from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range in 13 appearances. That puts him on pace for his worst shooting season since 2016-17.
The Grizzlies will likely need a big performance from Smart though in order to break their funk against his former team. The Celtics have won six straight games against Memphis and 16 of their last 17 dating back to 2016. Jayson Tatum has gone 13-0 against Memphis during that stretch.
With emotions riding high, Smart’s teammates want to get him a measure of revenge after the Celtics dealt him away in a three-team trade in order to land Kristaps Porzingis in June 2023.
“It’s about getting him that win and allowing him to experience the thrill of defeating the team that traded him away,” Scotty Pippen Jr. told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Ultimately, we want to support Marcus and go out there to get the win for him.”
The Celtics host the Grizzlies at 8 p.m. Saturday at TD Garden.
