Marcus Morris’s seven-year quest to prove he’s a go-to scorer, that he’s more than just a trade throw-in or adequate swingman, is finally coming to fruition in Boston.
The Celtics have struggled to score all season without Gordon Hayward, and that was exacerbated when Kyrie Irving decided to undergo knee surgery eight days ago. Morris has become one of the Celtics’ go-to players, along with rookie Jayson Tatum, and the duo has catapulted Boston to two games from the No. 1 seed with six games left.
Morris dropped 25 points on just 15 shots, including another clutch 3-pointer, in the Celtics’ 110-99 win Saturday over the rival Toronto Raptors. Morris, 28, has emerged as a dependable offensive weapon, a midrange shooter who has expanded his range beyond the arc, a tough player who has replaced Jae Crowder as the Celtics’ enforcer.
So it was no surprise that he was ejected with 10.9 seconds left for jawing at CJ Miles and other Raptors after he was fouled with the Celtics leading by 10. Morris left the floor to a standing ovation. It’s the acknowledgment he has sought for years and finally has earned.
The Celtics acquired Morris because they had to dump Avery Bradley’s salary to clear cap space to sign Hayward. Morris came to Boston because of his $5 million salary and ability to essentially replace Crowder. What he has transformed into is a leader, no-nonsense mentor, and a valuable offensive presence.
In a month the Celtics spent mostly on the road, including a four-game West Coast trip, and with Irving, Marcus Smart, and Daniel Theis battling injuries, Morris has averaged 18.9 points. He has posted 20 or more points for four straight games, despite battling a sprained right ankle.
“We need to score the ball, I have to play better since the injuries,’’ he said. “I’m just trying to continue to play hard, continue to get wins.’’
It’s not that the Celtics faithful have forgotten about Bradley and his contributions over seven years, but Morris has turned into a better-than-expected replacement. Bradley spent a half-season with the Pistons before being traded to the Clippers in the Blake Griffin deal. He is now out for the season because of abdominal surgery.
Morris, meanwhile, has been embraced by his fourth NBA city. He was drafted by Houston in 2011, tabbed as the more skilled of the Morris twins, but he spent most of his time with the Rockets assigned to the NBADL.
He was shipped to Phoenix to play with his brother Markieff, and that worked out well until he claimed the organization shortchanged him and his brother on a contract extension. He soon was dealt to the Pistons for just a second-round draft pick.
His two seasons in Detroit were consistent. He established himself as a small forward who could score on the post and proved a matchup nightmare for the Celtics. In Boston, coach Brad Stevens has placed him in positions to score against smaller players, while Morris has enhanced his role by becoming a career-best 38.7 percent 3-point shooter.
The Celtics have been the beneficiaries of Morris’s marked improvement and better focus. And he has found a home.
“I think they liked me, but just started to love me more,’’ Morris said of the Boston fans. “I appreciate that. People still call me ‘Markieff’ and I’m like damn I’ve been here almost a year now. But it’s all fun and games.’’
Morris struggled early with recurring right knee soreness. He missed a chunk of training camp because he was on trial on an assault charge with his brother. (He was exonerated).
Morris is playing on a bargain contract that still has one more season, cementing himself into the Celtics future. In none of his previous three locations has Morris enjoyed such offensive freedom, never has he hit so many momentous shots — such as the 3-pointer against Portland, the winning 3 against Oklahoma City, and another 3 Saturday that gave the Celtics a 6-point lead with 4:18 left.
“I said this when we traded for him: We really struggled to guard Marcus Morris. Always had a lot of respect for the way he could play,’’ Stevens said. “Thought he was going to be a huge part of our team from the get go. Obviously went through all the injury early but got himself feeling great. Talks about how he’s never felt better and he’s playing great.’’
Once Morris became healthy and comfortable — and once he realized that he wouldn’t be judged as heavily for his shot selection because of Stevens’s trust and the Celtics’ desperate need for offense — Morris became an indispensable player. He’s one of the reasons why Boston has won six consecutive games without Irving.
Gary Washburn can be reached at gwashburn@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.
