Why Boston Celtics, ahead of trade deadline, enter make-or-break stretch with 3 winnable games

“You just keep your composure,” guard Marcus Smart said of finishing the game. “You calm everybody down and make sure we get the greatest show that we can and you do it that way. You don’t try to do it alone. You just take what the game gives you and it’s part of it.”

The victory puts Boston coach Ime Udoka’s team at a season-best three games above .500 at 28-25. While there are 29 games remaining in the season, the ninth-place C’s are just 5.5 games behind the first-place Bulls.

That leaves the Celtics in arguably one of their most important upcoming stretches of games over the next week. Boston has three games ahead of the Feb. 10 trade deadline — and all of them look promising.