Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Smart, who played his college ball at nearby Oklahoma State, scored a career-high 26 points and spearheaded Boston’s collective effort to limit Westbrook. Smart helped Boston rally from as much as 11 down before a dominant second half propelled the visiting Celtics to a 100-85 triumph Sunday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

Asked after the game about Smart’s two-way impact, Westbrook wasn’t in a hurry to praise Boston’s young guard.

“He had a good game. There’s 82 games I do this,” Westbrook told reporters. “Don’t get it twisted.”

Smart displayed a rarely seen offensive aggression and coupled it with his typical defensive tenacity. He was so hyped up that, after being called for a questionable reach-in foul after stripping Westbrook on the perimeter late in the second quarter, Smart earned a technical foul (and maybe tip-toed the ejection line) while barking at referee Zach Zarba about the call.

Smart, the No. 6 pick in the 2014 draft, clearly enjoyed the challenge of going against Westbrook.

“That’s the type of guy that Russ is. He loves challenges and he’s gonna try to do his best every time, and vice versa with me,” Smart said. “You put two guys like that going against each other and, obviously, we’re going to knock heads.”

ESPN Boston – Matchup with Russell Westbrook sparks Marcus Smart as Celtics’ win

If only the Cs and Thunder played in the same division – we’d get four games of 100%, locked-in Marcus Smart on Russell Westbrook. Brad Stevens spoke after the game about a collective defensive effort on Russ, with a three-headed D monster of Smart, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder taking turns containing the Thunder’s tour de force point guard, but make no mistake about it, this was Smart’s night.

Point guard is a deep position full of feisty, competitive guys who all want to stake their claim as a top floor general in the league. Westbrook has scratched and clawed his way into the upper echelon of point guards, often chewing up and spitting out challengers with ferocious drives to the basket and unrelenting defensive energy.

Enter Smart, who if all breaks right over the next year or two of the formative stage of his NBA career will consistently be able to do some of the things Westbrook does 82-games a year (Russ was quick to remind everyone that what Smart did last night, he does on a regular basis).

It’s hard to keep emotions in check while watching a second-year player, especially a second-year point guard. Every time a second year guy like Smart plays a game like last night’s, one in which he puts all of his skills to use in an all-star worthy performance, it’s hard not to envision a future as the face of this franchise. Invariably, Smart will put up a game later this month in which he looks more like a rookie than he does a veteran, and as a fan you’ll have to remember that this whole floor general of an NBA team is still a really hard job to master and that year two is only one year removed from being a rookie.

With the Cs likely fighting for a playoff spot and trying to forge a future and an identity this season, it’s hard not to be incredibly, maybe even irrationally excited with Marcus Smart after last night.

Related Links: CSNNE – Smart leads Celtics to 100-85 win over Thunder  | Boston Herald – Celtics out-smart Thunder

On page 2, a point-guard rivalry in the making?

The MVP candidate Westbrook was asked about Smart matching up with him to some degree, and whether there was anything special about the way Smart played on Sunday.

“No. I don’t agree with you, but no,” Westbrook said. “He had a good game, you know. Eighty-two games, I do this. Don’t get it twisted. Don’t get it twisted. We got another game tomorrow (at Memphis). We’ll see them again.”

[…]

“You put two guys like that going against each other, obviously you’re going to knock heads,” said Smart, who was not aware of Westbrook’s comments.

CSNNE – Westbrook on Smart’s game: ‘Don’t get it twisted’

I for one don’t plan to get it twisted, Russ, so I think we’re all good here. What is Westbrook supposed to  say here and what is Marcus Smart supposed to say back? Smart is a starting point guard in the league with a draft-day pedigree and loads of potential. At this point in his development he’s supposed to be able to rise to the occasion and put it all together on some nights.

We’ll see if this rhetoric leads to added intensity in March when the Thunder visit the Celtics, but it’ll be Smart’s next few months not Westbrook’s post-game comments that will determine whether or not their next match-up is appointment TV.

Related Links: Mass Live – Marcus Smart duels Russell Westbrook | Russell Westbrook: Nothing special about Marcus Smart’s career night