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Celtics' Smart returns for Game 5 vs. Bucks

Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart returned from a six-week absence for Game 5 against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.

Smart was recovering from surgery on a torn thumb tendon, which he suffered on March 11. He checked in at the four-minute mark of the first quarter, received a standing ovation, and promptly forced a turnover, dove for a loose ball, and blocked Giannis Antetokounmpo on an alley-oop attempt.

Smart had another miserable shooting season, hitting just 36.7 percent of his field goals and 30.1 percent of his 3-point attempts, but his playmaking and multi-positional defense were a huge part of Boston's success. The Celtics went 38-16 in games in which he played during the regular season compared to 17-11 in those he didn't, and overall, they were 4.7 points per 100 possessions better with Smart on the floor.

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