Celtics could miss Smart against Hawks, Korver

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ATLANTA – Having a “Next Man Up” mentality has served the Boston Celtics well this season.

But they know replacing Marcus Smart (bone bruise, left knee) isn’t easy.

And the challenge is even greater against the Atlanta Hawks.

When the Celtics knocked off the Hawks earlier this month in Boston, Smart’s defense on sharpshooter Kyle Korver was a huge factor in the game’s outcome.

Without Smart who will be out for at least another couple weeks, the potential for Korver to have a big game is huge.

The approach to filling the void left by Smart comes down to multiple players stepping up.

“We’re not going to be able to replace everything that Marcus does with one person,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens. “The biggest thing is he’s very reliable being in the right spots. And he’s also very aggressive when there’s a loose ball or a fifty-fifty ball, or to make an appropriate physical play.”

Korver had 11 points in Boston’s 106-93 win on 4-for-6 shooting from the field.

Not bad on the surface.

But truth be told, Korver had a horrible game most of the night courtesy of Smart’s in-your-face defense.

For the season, Korver has an offensive rating of 104.3 (points per 100 possessions). But against the Celtics, his offensive rating was just 91.0 and Korver’s plus/minus was -18 which was worse than any other Atlanta player in that game.

Smart’s impact defensively comes as no surprise to anyone who has seen him play for the Celtics.

When he’s on the floor, Boston’s defensive rating is 95.5 compared to 97.5 when he’s not.

Avery Bradley, who will be counted on to lead the charge defensively for the Celtics now more than ever with Smart out, acknowledges the importance of the players being even more locked in than usual.

“We’re missing a good defender in Marcus Smart,” Bradley said. “But to fill that void we have to play great defense as a team.”

Said Stevens: “(Smart’s injury) takes away one elite defender in regards to individual matchups. That’s something we’re going to have to … we have to do it as a team.”

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