On Sunday afternoon, Marcus Smart and the Memphis Grizzlies (isn't that still weird to say?) hit the road to take on the Boston Celtics in a bit of NBA interconference action. Smart of course was a member of the Celtics for the first nine years of his career since being drafted there in 2014 out of Oklahoma State, and the return to TD Garden on Sunday as a member of the Grizzlies was an emotional moment for all parties involved, to be sure.

Ahead of the game, Smart spoke on his love for Celtics Nation and how they embraced him during his tenure with the franchise.

“Thank you guys,” said Smart, per Josue Pavón of CLNS Media on X, the social media platform formerly referred to as Twitter. “I love you guys forever. You guys will always be in my heart… I've never forgotten that. Thank you, like I said.”

Smart indeed became a fan favorite during his tenure with the Celtics organization, as he embodied the toughness, grit, and intensity that the team hoped to display during their run of success in recent seasons.

Unfortunately, Smart was never able to accomplish his ultimate goal with the franchise, to win a championship, and he was ironically traded as part of a deal that the franchise brass hoped would push them closer to that goal.

In any case, it's still certainly jarring to see Smart in a Grizzlies uniform, although Celtics fans didn't get that image on Sunday, as the guard missed the contest as he continues to work his way back from an injury.