Marcus Smart on Celtics plight: "Hunter has become the hunted"


Hey look - Marcus Smart may not be able to shoot the ball with even a hint of accuracy, but he works hard all the time and now he is speaking up. I think is teammates are listening.


Following the Celtics loss to Portland, Smart felt it was time to come out about the lackluster play of his team. And he didn't hold back (per NBA's Taylor Snow):

"We don’t want to fight."

"We're no longer the hunter. We’re the hunted now."

My timing is right for this article because deer-hunting season began early this morning in my home state of New Hampshire. The triplet fawns have been visiting my land frequently, and they are a lot bigger now. They would be easy prey if I decided to take one out. But that's the point. They are so complacent near us it would be no contest. No challenge. They are an easy target. It wouldn't be right.


As a parallel, the Celtics have become too complacent and an easy target for opposing teams. They have gone from being the hunters last season to the hunted this year. And opponents are showing no mercy. Nor should they.


Boston Celtics teams of old have stomped on opponents for decades, and this present squad has the tools to do it again. Maybe the team needs Danny Ainge to come into the locker room with his infamous stethoscope - the one he used to test the hearts of his teammates prior to Game Seven of the 1984 Finals. Cedric Maxwell added his input telling his guys to "Climb on my back, boys." It all worked and the Celtics were the Champs once again.

The Celtics right now are the hunted - not the hunters. Hopefully, that will change starting tonight against the Chicago Bulls. The Celtics can't be easy targets anymore. Time for the Boston crew to start by running with the Bulls and gunning for other teams. It is open season on any opponent.

Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC and Facebook

Photos via Lisa Lane McCarty and Matt Stone/Boston Herald

Share