Marcus Smart back in calm eye of the storm - needs reminder not to create one


Marcus Smart is back with his teammates and friends after suffering what will most likely be the biggest loss of his life, his beloved mom, Camellia. But he looks ready to go, and trust me - he will do everything in his power to prevent losses on the court this season.


I never, ever question Marcus' effort or determination on the court. They are there in every game. But he tends to keep his emotions inside, until they burst at the seams. That would be when Camellia would remind him to "calm your ass down!" She and Marcus knew that if he was ejected, or pulled, from the game, there was no way he could help his team.


Well, your mom is forever your mom, regardless of your age or her presence in the physical world or elsewhere. Camellia's counsel will always be there, as will her warnings about emotions bubbling over - followed by the possibility of her son's ejection. The following happened following Boston's Game-One win over the 76'ers in last season's playoffs (per ESPN's Chris Forsberg):

Marcus Smart's phone was buzzing as he looked down: "Mama." He had a good idea why she was calling.

"She calls me and she yells at me. She tells me to calm my 'so-and-so' down," Smart said.

Earlier that night, Smart had angrily stomped in the direction of Philadelphia 76ers rookie Ben Simmons after a flare-up between the two in the final moments of Boston's Game 1 triumph.

"She tells me breathe and keep going and know that's what people are going to try to do, get in my head, and force me to do those type of things, Smart said.

"Just keep my cool."

But Marcus said it best recently. He views basketball as the calm center of a violent storm - his safe refuge. Nothing can hurt him there. The world can be going nuts - which it is, by the way - but Smart has his haven - and that is within one of the finest sports organizations in the world.


The above video from Media Day is great. Marcus is loose and ready to go. He's back in his safe haven. He knows how to keep out of the storm, but might need to be reminded not to create one. We need him on the floor. His mom's counsel is still needed.

Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC

Photo via Matt Stone/Boston Herald

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