Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Blake Griffin's Advice to Marcus Smart Helped Lead Celtics to Win Monday
The Boston Celtics extended their league-high winning streak to seven games last night as they took down the Oklahoma City Thunder at TD Garden.
Oklahoma City entered the tilt with a two-game win streak of their own and seemed poised to extend the streak after building up a seven-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but Boston mounted an impressive comeback to scratch and claw its way to its NBA-leading 11th win of the season.
Celtics point guard Marcus Smart is one of the biggest reasons Boston was able to pull off the gritty comeback. The 28-year-old scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half and tallied 10 in the fourth quarter alone when Boston needed him most.
After the game, Smart highlighted some advice he got from veteran big man Blake Griffin on the bench before his fourth-quarter eruption.
"Blake Griffin actually was telling me that right now guys weren't hitting (shots), you're in the paint, take the shot," Smart said as seen on NBC Sports Boston. "Make the late pass if they come late. Take the shot first because it is what they are giving you and then it will open up for everyone else. I just tried to stay aggressive and realize that I had the advantage. (Jayson Tatum) and (Jaylen Brown) had it going. We all know that all eyes are going to be on them every night. In times like this the floor opened up for me and I just had to make the right read and tonight it was for me to score the ball."
Smart has been impressive for Boston so far this season as a playmaker but thrived offensively when the team needed him the most Monday. The point guard is averaging a career-high 7.1 assists per game, but when the team struggled Monday he shined and recorded a season-high in points at 22.
Griffin may not see much time on the court, but the veteran clearly is having a positive impact on the squad so far.
Further Reading
Here's Where Celtics Fell On Latest Edition of NBA Power Rankings
Celtics Offense Doing Something This Season Never Done Before in NBA History
Here's Where Celtics' Jayson Tatum Landed On NBA's Latest MVP Ladder
