Marcus Smart: Celtics have gone from ‘the hunters’ to ‘the hunted’

Marcus Smart: C’s have gone from ‘the hunters’ to ‘the hunted’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Marcus Smart has been doing this for a while now, but that doesn’t make Opening Night any less special for the Boston Celtics guard.

As he prepares for Game 1 of his ninth NBA season, Smart can’t help but smile ear to ear thinking about the roar of the TD Garden crowd. The C’s veteran guard caught up with our Abby Chin ahead of Tuesday night’s regular-season opener to share his excitement.

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“I definitely think I could speak for a lot of people. Coming into the league or being here for a long time, you still get those butterflies,” Smart told Chin. “Opening Night, to step in the arena and to hear the crowd go crazy. Especially with the team we’ve got and what we did last year, we have a lot of energy that we’re ready to just go out there and let it out on the court. We can’t wait. So the emotions are there, but we’re going to do a good job of containing those emotions.”

The Celtics are among the 2023 NBA title favorites after finishing as last season’s runner up. After a slow start to the 2021-22 campaign, they rode a second-half surge to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and eventually, a conference championship. Meanwhile, Smart became the first guard to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors since Gary Payton in 1996.

Smart says now that he and the C’s have a target on their back, he feels a sense of urgency to duplicate last year’s success and top it off with Banner 18.

“Every team is working for one goal this year,” Smart said. “There can only be two teams there. So for us, we’ve become the hunted, We went from the hunters. Everybody counted us out last year and we kind of snuck up on guys. This year, everybody’s going to come out and give us everything they have off the get-go, so we have to be ready. You definitely have to step up and be ready to defend your titles.”

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The journey begins with an intriguing Opening Night showdown vs. the Philadelphia 76ers. That means a new chapter could be added to the Smart-James Harden rivalry.

Ahead of the matchup, Smart expressed his respect for Harden and the entire Sixers team.

“James is a great player. We all know. We all see what he’s done in this league and what he continues to do,” Smart said. “To be able to have that opportunity to match up against him and go up against one of the greatest offensive players that ever played this game is an opportunity and a blessing for me. Especially as a defense guy, I get to hone my skills on that end and test what I’m really about. …

“Philly’s a great team,” he added. “They’ve got great coaches, great players, and they’re on a mission. They’re hungry as well. A lot of those guys are trying to prove themselves over there. So for us, it’s the first game, it’s Opening Night, we have 82, but to be able to set the tone early is something we’re going to have to do.”

When the C’s take the court Tuesday night, and 10 more times during the 2022-23 regular season, they will honor the legendary Bill Russell with their City Edition jerseys. The team and the NBA collaborated with Russell, who passed away on in July, on the design for the uniforms. The new City Edition threads include several elements that honor Russell’s legacy as an 11-time NBA champion.

The opportunity to represent Russell isn’t something Smart takes lightly.

“It’s an honor. It’s definitely an honor,” Smart said. “My friends and family, my aunts and uncles, they talk about watching the Celtics with Bill and everything and now watching me play with them. The things that Bill has done off the court and on the court for us, words can’t even explain. The gratitude we have as players and as individuals for him I think will never be matched.”

Celtics vs. 76ers tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET. Before the action, be sure to catch Celtics Pregame Live on NBC Sports Boston at 6:30 p.m.

Watch Smart’s full 1-on-1 with Abby Chin below: