And during Smart's rehab, Camellia revealed she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a bone marrow cancer, and Smart flew home to Texas to be with her amid an uncertain future.Ĭamellia implored Smart to return to Boston. There was no guarantee that the injury-ravaged Celtics would still be playing by the time Smart was healthy enough to return to action after surgery. Doctors told him to play the lottery because he came inches away from shredding a tendon that could have ended his season.Įight games after his return, Smart tore a ligament in the same hand while diving for a loose ball and missed the final 15 games of the regular season. He missed the final 11 games before the All-Star break after punching a glass picture frame out of frustration in a hotel room in Los Angeles. The past three months have put it all into perspective for Smart. Smart smiles as he recounts what has become familiar advice from his mother, because he now sees the bigger picture: It's good to be playing basketball it's good to be talking to Mama. "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. She tells me to calm my 'so-and-so' down," Smart said.Įarlier 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. It was late, but his 63-year-old mother, Camellia, has been staying up back in Texas to watch his game, even as she battles a recent cancer diagnosis. 'You can't quantify it': Marcus Smart puts his unique stamp on the playoffsīOSTON - Marcus Smart's phone was buzzing as he looked down: "Mama." He had a good idea why she was calling. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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