Marcus Smart's "after getting paid" regression

[moiso]

Smart shooting less is his version of sacrificing for the team.  I’m very happy with him so far.  I wasn’t sure if he had it in him to not think he was going to make his next shot every time.

[Rosco917]

New member here.

Marcus got paid. His role obviously will be smaller, shots lower, as well as pretty much everything across the board.

He is a terrible offensive player in terms of with the ball and putting it in the basket. He can pass a little.

His value is obviously defensive and causing some havoc.

Danny Ainge has him basically to stop these huge runs the NBA elites seem to get, he can come in for 2 minutes, not score, but have a good chance of getting the opposing team out of rythym.


With that said, Rozier is looking at Smart and saying, this guy got 50 mil and is "garbage", and you can see Rozier trying to get his a bit

With that said, it seems like Ainge is 95% sure Rozier wont be here, and I think Rozier and his agent know this too now.

Ainge looks to be right in this decision? I think so, as bad and mediocre as Smart will be in terms of a pick,, seems like Ainge is taking this defensive gremlin over erratic rozier.

Sorry dude...not seeing it. That defense and causing havoc thing wins basketball games. It ignites other players too. The much-respected coach of the team seems to always have him in the game at its close.

[SHAQATTACK]

he is older and wiser with his body .  He hurt the team in th long run past years staying injured with crazy giving up body plays too many times. 

I see a more in cmtrol thinking player .

[Sophomore]

Smart still looks like Smart to me.
Grindy player who can’t shoot but will dive at any lose ball to save or break a possession. That’s just who he is and I’m fine with it.

Agree with this.

Did you see the game in Detroit? Marcus played stellar D, and was doing Marcus things - like taking a charge in the fourth quarter with his team ahead more than 20. Last night he was fronting Giannis, and for my money got a clean block that was miscalled a foul. Stuff only Marcus does.

The offensive numbers show a reduction in the number of shots, which pretty much everyone has been clamoring for. Otherwise it's hard with such a small sample size to say much. His assist percentage is about in the same place as ever. His 3-point shooting %age is worse than ever on 20 attempts, but his 2-point percentage is up to a tidy .563. Way too early to know how that will shake out a few hundred shots down the line. Most likely about the same place he always is.

Net, I see typical Marcus.

[Kuberski33]

I don't think he's regressed, but given that he has come into yet another season without improving his core flaws offensively, I think we have to give up on him becoming more than he is now.

I'm much more worried about Rozier, who has slipped back to where he was before his surge last year. I really thought he had taken a major step, but it doesn't look that way. It appears he needs major minutes to flourish, and that is unlikely to happen this year. The only source of minutes that was available was to sit Morris more, and instead, Morris has clearly won the competition for the 6th man bench scorer role.

Without some injuries, I think Rozier may be stunted in his growth, which is too bad. He's a solid player when he plays another 8-10 minutes.

Agree regarding Rozier.  He does seem to be at his best getting starter minutes.  He's kind of in a catch 22.  There is a chance he could be a long term solution here - but that depends on Kyrie staying/leaving and he's said he's staying.  He's also been balling like we expect Kyrie to do that past 2 games. 

You COULD make an argument that with the surrounding cast a PG who doesn't turn the ball over, plays good D, makes his FT's and doesn't destroy your cap with a max contract would fit fine as a starter long term - but as was proven in the deciding games vs the Cavs last spring and the past couple of games - Irving at his best is the far better option. 

[Big333223]

Still playing All NBA caliber defender and he's third on the team in AST%, with a wide margin over Terry at #4.

If he's taking fewer bad shots, that's good. I would like to see him attacking more but I feel that way about the team as a whole.

[footey]

Liking Smart and thinking he is overpaid are not mutually exclusive thoughts.

[JBcat]

Liking Smart and thinking he is overpaid are not mutually exclusive thoughts.

Even if he is overpaid a little bit we aren’t dealing with a hard cap only luxury tax concerns that ownership seems willing to pay.  If anything a little bit of an inflated salary could help with matching salaries in a potential future trade for a star.

[Birdman]

I am just glad he stopped shooting so many threes. He is much better driving inside.

Baynes also needs to stop shooting 3s

[Birdman]

If Smart is here after 2 or 3 years i be shock

[celtics4ever33]

I am just glad he stopped shooting so many threes. He is much better driving inside.

Baynes also needs to stop shooting 3s

Is it sad that I have more confidence in a baynes 3 than a Marcus 3

[pearljammer10]

No issues with Smart.

He's a poor shooter but if he's open he has to shoot it. When he is on he hits big shots. He is incredibly underrated around these parts as a ball handler, facilitator going to the basket. He is at his best on offense when he is in the paint. I've always said this and its true. Stevens offense calls for him to shoot more but when he is in the paint great things happen for him and the players he finds.

His defense and hustle is what makes him the valuable player he is. Nothing has dropped off from Smart so far this year. He knows his role and plays it well.

[Banner18now!]

Smart is who he has always been. He can get you extra possessions with his defense and give them right back with his offense. He thinks he is a better shooter than he really is. If he just understood his role much like Rodman did in his day or the guy from Detroit in the 2000’s he would be a much better player. Imagine if Rodman jacked up 3’s or stupid shots? He wouldn’t be as great as he was. Until Smart understands who he is he will continue to help and then hurt the team. Sometimes it works out sometimes it doesn’t.

[GreenFaith1819]

Smart has been there for this team more oftentimes than not.

Not tossing him under the bus for this TEAM loss.

[LilRip]

I don't think Smart has regressed much. He has actually taken significantly less bad shots imo.

If anything, I think Rozier has regressed the most and has been playing the worst out of all our guys in the regular rotation. Contract year and wanting to get paid like a starting PG has him playing pretty selfishly.