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.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas texted Smart a few words of encouragement: “Keep your head up, man. People make mistakes. We’re all human. We need you to be Marcus Smart.”

It was essentially advice the entire Celtics roster needed to hear. So despite having every reason to get rolled on their home turf by an offensive juggernaut, the Celtics responded with one of their gutsiest efforts of the season.

Al Horford played maybe his finest game in green, putting up 20 points and nine assists, and Thomas worked his typical magic by scoring 13 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter as the Celtics ran away with a 120-109 triumph at TD Garden.

For a Celtics team that entered Wednesday’s game 0-6 against the league’s top four teams (Golden State, San Antonio, Cleveland, Houston), this was about as defining a victory as it has had this season.

Thomas was asked if it was Boston’s best win of the season. “Yeah, you could say that,” he said.

Thomas, who will almost certainly be named an All-Star reserve Thursday, topped 30 points for the 15th time this season. Entering this season, he had reached that mark only 19 times in his career.

“Three-game losing streak, a really good team in Houston coming in here with a really good player like James Harden. You could say that was the biggest win,” Thomas said. “Hopefully it gives us more confidence, and we can find a rhythm and keep playing this way.”

ESPN Boston – Buried in Washington, Boston Celtics rise against the Houston Rockets

It took a half of basketball last night (and some absolutely abominable refereeing) for the Celtics to appear as though they had finally put the Washington embarrassment of the previous night behind them. Once they did, however, they started looking like the Celtics we’ve seen in flashes this year, and through much of the second half of last year.

The ball moved, and so did Celtics’ bodies on defense. For the first time in four games, and really, for one of the few times since the start of the month, the Cs made life tough on an opposing offense. Al Horford was a presence on both sides of the ball, and Isaiah Thomas reminded everyone whose time it is in the final 12 minutes. The Cs actually out rebounded Houston, the 11th best rebounding team in the league, 48-30.

The Cs needed this win, but they also needed to look more like themselves. Maybe the Wizards loss can prove a turning point– not that a loss in mid-January is reason to ring the alarm, but that game epitomized all of the ways in which the Celtics had lost their identity lately. Last night, in the second half, at least, they found it.

Here’s hoping they keep it.

Related links:

ESPN – Thomas, Crowder push Celtics past Rockets

Globe – Celtics bloodied, but beat Rockets

  On page 2, Marcus Smart needs to take a trip to Home Depot

“I’m an emotional player,” Smart said. “I give my all every night. I went about it the wrong way (on Tuesday). I let my emotions get the best of me. But my teammates and the coaching staff, they know the kind of person I am … we talked about it. It’s in the past; we’re moving on.”

Well … not quite.

See there’s the matter of the hole in the Washington Wizards’ visiting locker room that no one seems to know exactly who did … but they all have a pretty good idea who did it.

Stevens didn’t know if it was Smart who put the hole in the wall. But if it was, Stevens said Smart would pay for it. And if it was another player, then they would pay for it.

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Smart said when asked if he put the hole in the wall. “It wasn’t there when I came in, so I don’t know. I guess … I don’t remember doing it. But if it’s a hole in the wall, I put it there. I’ll take that one.”

CSNNE – Marcus Smart takes responsibility for hole in wall at Verizon Center

Marcus’ response of “ummm… I don’t remember, but I guess it was me?” sounds like someone who was hoping no one would notice the giant hole in the wall.

Smart heard about Doc Rivers hiding money in the walls of the Staples Center back in 07-08 and decided he wanted to do the same for when the Cs win a first round playoff series in the Verizon Center.

You’ve got to be a bit more understated, though, Marcus.

Related Links:

Herald – Brad Stevens keeps Marcus Smart con-fab in house  |  Celtics ride Marcus Smart’s emotions

And finally, a huge Brooklyn loss

Both the Miami Heat and Brooklyn Nets are streaking. They’re going in opposite directions, though.

Dion Waiters scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, including the clinching 3 with 6.8 seconds left, and Miami overcame an 18-point deficit in the final period to beat beleaguered Brooklyn 109-106 on Wednesday night.

ESPN – Waiters scores 24, Heat erase 18-point deficit to beat Nets

If you had asked me a month ago who were the two teams that could out-tank the Boston Cel…errr Brooklyn Nets in a quest for the best draft lottery odds, I would have said Philadelphia and Miami. Well, the Sixers keep winning and the Heat are now 5.5 games clear of Brooklyn.

Thank you, Miami.

The rest of the links:

CSNNE – Stars, studs and duds

Globe – Celtics got back up, after Jonas Jerebko was knocked down