Marcus Smart stole the show in his return to the floor

BOSTON -- After missing 11 games with a sprained ankle, Marcus Smart had a lot of pent up energy when he returned to the floor Wednesday night. Playing against the Pistons was a good way for the Celtics guard to let that energy out -- and knock off any rust -- ahead of the All-Star break

Only there wasn't really much rust. As he tends to do when he's at his usual form, Smart made an impact everywhere on the floor on Wednesday night.

He was a menace on defense, taking full advantage of the young (and last-place) Pistons. He got his teammates open looks with some sleek passes, and canned a few shots of his own. And his booming smile and infectious energy, which was present on the bench during his absence on the court, was back on the hardwood throughout Boston's 127-109 blowout win at TD Garden.

"We missed his joy," interim head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the victory, Boston's 42nd on the season.

Smart was smiling from ear to ear before the game, and that grin only got stronger as he continued to make play after play. It took Smart very little time to make his presence felt, as he picked the pocket of Killian Hayes less than two minutes into the contest. That theft -- the first of six pilferages by Smart -- led to an easy transition bucket for Jayson Tatum.

Midway through the second quarter, Smart heisted Cory Joseph near the top of the key and coasted in for an easy deuce of his own. After pulling down a defensive board on Detroit's ensuing possession, he drained a three to put Boston on top 52-35.

"It felt like I hadn't missed a beat." Smart gleamed after the win.

With the reigning Defensive Player of the Year back on the court, the Celtics were a group of thieves on Wednesday. Boston racked up 14 turnovers against the Pistons, and turned those into 15 easy points. Smart snagged his last steal midway through the fourth, jumping into the passing lane and finishing his theft with a layup to all but seal the victory for the Celtics.

Smart's six steals were just part of his stuffed stat sheet over his 29 minutes of action. He picked his spots and scored nine points, hitting four of his six attempts. He dished out six assists and pulled down seven rebounds. He was flying around the floor, proof that the badly sprained ankle he suffered in Toronto on Jan. 21 is a thing of the past.

And when the game was over, his smile was as big as it's ever been.

"It feels real good. Feels like something was missing in my life, so it feels real good to be back out there with my team, my coaching staff, and just the energy that we brought," he said.

Smart and the Celtics (most of them, anyways) will now get a week off before returning from the break for the final stretch of the season. Wednesday night's win keeps Boston atop the NBA standings, and Smart's return has them close to being whole once again.