Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from the midseason point

1. Marcus Smart has earned every penny of his new contract

Where would the Celtics be without Marcus Smart? They’d simply be hovering around .500, chasing the rest of the top Eastern Conference teams. The Celtics were 10-10 before Smart was inserted into the starting lineup and have since gone 15-6.

Once he was playing alongside the starters, Smart instantly sparked an eight-game winning streak. Morris had a helping hand in that process but there’s something different about the way Smart has brought this team back to life.

Smart was a free agent last summer and despite his inability to score and shoot the ball effectively, he was still able to cash in a four-year, $52 million contract. What he does bring to the table is his defense, grit and energy – three things that are a necessity for a winning team.

This season he’s averaging 7.7 points, 4.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals. His point and rebound averages are a career low, but he’s averaging a career high in steals. He’s shooting it better than he has in his five-year career, going 39.8 percent from the field and 35.0 from 3-point range.

It’s the little things like this that make a difference in the outcome of the game. Most NBA players would give up on the play knowing that there will be a timeout called, instead Smart steals the ball before Jerryd Bayless can do so and gets an easy two points.

These are winning plays and Smart will give his team 110 percent. If it wasn’t for him, the Celtics would not be where they are.

He may not be the best offensive player, but he’s an incredible defensive-energy guy that makes a difference in the final score.