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Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on against the Detroit Pistons during the second quarter at Little Caesars Arena on October 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
The Boston Celtics completed a season sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night, winning 111-89 at Crypto.com Arena.
On the other side of the court, former Celtic Marcus Smart started for the Lakers and finished with 0 points on 0-of-7 from the field. A difficult night against the team he spent nine years building something with.
After the final buzzer, reporters caught up with Smart in the locker room. The conversation turned quickly to his former teammate, Jayson Tatum.
Smart’s Message to Tatum
Smart was asked by Fansided’s Bobby Krivitsky whether he’d spoken to Tatum, and what he thinks of his potential return this season.
“It’s crazy,” Smart said. “The world of basketball, the world of sports and medicine, has evolved so much to a point where you’ve got a guy with a torn Achilles and they’re talking about him coming back and it hasn’t even been a full year. From that standpoint, that’s ridiculous.”
Then came the part that mattered most.
“I just hope that he takes his time and listens to his body. If that means he’s ready to come back, and that’s what his body’s telling him, and he’s 100 percent sure, then go for it. But if not, they’re cooking right now. You’re still young and you’ve got time. As much as possible, let that body heal up,” Smart added.
Smart is not saying Tatum should stay away. He is saying the pressure to rush back does not need to come from the standings. As he put it, the Celtics are cooking.
GettyMarcus Smart, Jayson Tatum
Smart Reflects on the Celtics and Brown
Nine years in green leaves marks that do not fade quickly. Smart spent nearly a decade building something in Boston before being traded in June 2023, and Sunday night carried a weight that injuries had previously prevented him from feeling.
“This is really my first real time actually playing against these guys,” Smart said. “I got to Memphis, I was hurt every time we played. And then in DC, hurt there as well. And then the first game we played in Boston, didn’t play that game either. So this is my first real game. But yeah, it definitely feels weird after just being over there for so long.”
Smart also addressed what Jaylen Brown has done in Tatum’s absence, and the framing he used was telling.
“What he’s always been able to do,” Smart said. “It always has just been overshadowed. JB has. Now, with no shadow around him, you get to see Jaylen for Jaylen. Jaylen is doing exactly what he’s been doing when I was there.”
Smart played alongside Brown for years. Even in the shadow, he knew this version of Jaylen was there all along.
How the Game Unfolded
Sunday’s result was the Celtics’ first sweep of the Lakers since the 2022-23 season and only the third time in the last decade the series has gone one way.
Brown led the way with 32 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Payton Pritchard was extraordinary off the bench, finishing with 30 points on 10-of-13 shooting including 6 three-pointers. No Laker could match either of them.
Smart himself struggled on the night, going 0-of-7 from the field without scoring. Luka Doncic led LA with 25 points but it was not enough as the Celtics pulled away in the second half and won comfortably. Derrick White chipped in 12 points with several important makes in key moments, and Boston’s young defenders held James, Doncic and Austin Reaves to a combined 22-of-53 from the field.
Final Word for the Celtics
Marcus Smart knows this roster better than most. He built something real in Boston over nine years and still carries genuine affection for the people he left behind.
His message to Tatum was clear. Take your time. Listen to your body. Be 100 percent sure before stepping back on that floor.
And if that means the wait continues a little longer, the team he helped build can handle it. They are cooking right now. Smart said so himself.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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