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.

Asked if he expected Marcus Smart to be especially motivated for Monday’s game in Brooklyn after being suspended for Sunday’s overtime loss to the Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics guard Evan Turner was particularly blunt.

“Obviously, as a team, he owes us one,” said Turner. “I think we’re all motivated.”

Turner wasn’t being hostile, just brutally honest. The Celtics are fighting for a postseason berth and Smart’s absence was painfully noticeable as Boston let a win slip away against the Pistons.

ESPN Boston – Turner on Smart: ‘He owes us one’

Yes, the Cs are improbably in the thick of a playoff race in just year two of the Brad Stevens era, but the expectation remains the same as it would if the team were jockeying for lottery position with Philly and New York: grow and improve.

With that in mind, the Celtics and their fans can only hope that Smart’s actions and subsequent one-game suspension resulting in an overtime loss will be the ultimate learning experience for the rookie.

Dating back to his days in Stillwater, Smart has demonstrated an inability to consistently control his emotions on the basketball court. At OSU he was the team’s best player, unquestioned leader and future lottery pick. While he had to answer to Travis Ford when suspended, at the end of the day, Smart was going to the NBA. Now, when Smart makes decisions that hurt his team, he has to answer to his veteran teammates and more shaky behavior can lead to a loss of playing time and badly hurt the team.

Ensconced in a tight playoff race, the desired result for the Celtics last night was a home victory against a lottery team. But had they won the game, it’s probable that we wouldn’t be talking about Smart’s flagrant foul and one-game suspension this morning. The Cs probably wouldn’t be talking about it -at least publicly- either. Maybe, hopefully, a close loss where Smart’s absence was felt drives home the fact that Smart’s immaturity cannot get the better of him as a member of the Celtics. If it helps Smart grow and improve and become a better pro, then maybe a tough loss in his absence was just what he needed to wake up. Even if it does end up costing the Celtics a playoff spot.

Related Links:

WEEI – Evan Turner says Marcus Smart ‘owes us one’ after missing Sunday with suspension

On page 2: Old man Wallace drops some knowledge

The Celtics are now tied with the Pacers in the East, each team a half game behind the 30-38 Charlotte Hornets for the eighth and final spot.

It was time for the 32-year-old Wallace to speak to his teammates.

“I told the guys that we have to more serious because giving away games like this or losing games like this, we don’t have the length of the schedule [remaining] to kind of make up games,” Wallace said. “Every game counts right now. We have to take it one game at a time and take care of those games.”

What was the reaction to Wallace’s message?

“I think everybody understood by the way everybody felt,” Wallace said. “They kind of felt this loss. They know that we weren’t supposed to lose this game. We already had two tough games on the road. Coming home, with the way our schedule is, this was a game we had to win, we needed to win. I think they understand we gave this game away and we have to take advantage of them.

“We have [13] games left. Probably out of those 13 games, nine or 10 of those games are [against] playoff teams or teams that are fighting us for that playoff position. They’re competing and they’re fighting just as hard as we are. We’ve got to understand that we just can’t anticipate just showing up and expecting to win the ballgame.”

WEEI – Gerald Wallace calls a players’ only meeting: ‘We gave this game away’

If there was ever a time for Gerald Wallace to earn his $9.6 million contract, it was with a speech to his teammates following last night’s loss (Gerald will take a discount to speak at your company’s conference and retreats).

We’ve been gauging the Celtics’ playoff hopes at the beginning and end of each week for the last month, but this time we mean it: This is the most important week of the Celtics’ season. Two more games remain against bottom-of-the-bracket contenders starting tonight in Brooklyn and if the Cs can’t come out of the week with a winning record, next week’s tilts with Charlotte and Indiana may not matter very much.

Wallace clearly felt that urgency and probably also sensed a team-wide disappointment after the Cs let last night’s game slip away down the stretch. It helps that Crash played 12 inspired minutes last night. If the veteran is going to leave everything on the floor during the last three and a half weeks of the season, the rest of the guys better do the same.

Related Links:

ESPN Boston – Veteran Wallace to young Cs: ‘We have to be more serious’

Mass Live – Gerald Wallace after Boston Celtics let one slip away: ‘We weren’t supposed to lose this game’

And Finally: Isaiah Thomas could be back this week

Celtics coach Brad Stevens believes guard Isaiah Thomas could return at some time this coming week, the team announced.

Thomas has been sidelined with back and elbow injuries since March 9. He could return in the middle of the week or near the end, Stevens said.

CBSSports.com – Celtics’ Brad Stevens: Isaiah Thomas could return this week

Seven games and counting. While the Cs promptly won the first four without their leading scorer, his absence has been profoundly felt over the last three games. The Celtics can’t sustain a 48-minute offensive effort without him. Here’s hoping he can give it a go on Wednesday against Miami.