Do the Celtics need a #1 Point Guard: NBA Finals Reaction

[Goldstar88]

No, they just need to run an offense that actually works.

[michigan adam]

I think they need to add either a BU SF type(upgrade in D from GW as SF), or upgrade starting PF from hortford.  They have GW salary, hortford slaary, and or TPE and MLE.  We are talking tiny upgrades here.  We were in the finals until game 6.  We don't need a huge upgrade, and PG would take away from the versatility of JT and JB, as well as smart of course.

[No Nickname]

I believe we do. Off the top of my head, four names come to mind: Brunson (S&T), Rubio, Conley, Tyus Jones.

I'd love us to somehow acquire CP3 or Haliburton, but it's a pipe dream.

Conley is 34, so I think 36-year-old Goran Dragic should be a consideration. I’ve always loved the way that guy plays.

[No Nickname]

Look, I'm not gonna sit here and tell you Marcus Smart is some elite PG. He's not. I know he dishes a decent number of assists, has a good AS:TO ratio, ect. But his lack of ability to create high level offense off the dribble and the disrespect teams show him when he spaces the floor is a problem. In a perfect world you'd find a better offensive point guard.

That said, you aren't going to find a better overall player at that position. He has offensive downsides, but his ability to play the point and guard everybody 1-5 is invaluable defensively. That ability was key to their run. Sure, if you had Chris Paul that would be great. But you don't. So what you have to do is put good offensive players around your core and hope for internal improvement

Yup. We were right on the cusp of a championship, now is the time to make small changes around the core, not panic and make huge strategic changes.

If you could get a PG that is like a better version of Smart (obviously worse defensively but still very good, while also better on offense) then you obviously do that, but going to a defensive liability just because they're good on offense is taking steps backwards. The only person you swap Smart for is someone like Jrue, not someone like Rubio or (pre-injury) Kemba.

I think Malcolm Brogdon is that person... if he can stay healthy.

[RJ87]

I think there's been quite a bit of overreaction because we lost, but moving Smart into a permanent starting role was a key reason for our defense being so good.

The team's main need is fortifying the bench. We really need a player that can create offensive consistently and someone who can shoot. If that can come internally, that'd be great (looking at you, Nesmith). Otherwise, those should be the team's focus.

And a real question: I've seen a lot of talk about getting a floor general, but who are these players that are attainable? Most starting guards in the league don't fit that bill and we're not getting CP3 or Haliburton.

[GreenlyGreeny]

And a real question: I've seen a lot of talk about getting a floor general, but who are these players that are attainable? Most starting guards in the league don't fit that bill and we're not getting CP3 or Haliburton.

Conley is probably our best bet. The Jazz are rebuilding. The downside is it will not be easy to get Conley without giving up a key piece on our team. Wish we had a larger TPE because getting Conley for picks would be a dream.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

And a real question: I've seen a lot of talk about getting a floor general, but who are these players that are attainable? Most starting guards in the league don't fit that bill and we're not getting CP3 or Haliburton.

Conley is probably our best bet. The Jazz are rebuilding. The downside is it will not be easy to get Conley without giving up a key piece on our team. Wish we had a larger TPE because getting Conley for picks would be a dream.

The Conley that averaged 9 PPG and 2 TOPG in the playoffs this year? I think I'd rather run without a "true point guard" if he is our best option and it will cost us trading one of our core people.

[Moranis]

Conley is cooked.  He will be 35 and entering year 16.  His high level play days are long behind him.  If he got bought out and wanted to come here to come off the bench, sure I'd be interested under those conditions, but that's about it.

[colincb]

Smart's offensive numbers were in the middle of the 16 primary starting PGs in the playoffs. In particular, his A/TO ratio of 2.37 was 9th best, which isn't bad. However, his A/TO ratio against the GSW was 1.58, which would have placed him 15th if that had been the one series he played in. Tatum had more assists and a better A/TO ratio in the series, which isn't a good sign. For the other three series, Smart's A/TO ratio was 2.82, which would have placed him 5th. IOW, he had a bad series on the biggest stage. But he wasn't the only one that had a bad series...

Tatum, White, and Pritchard were all brutal as well and Theis was unplayable. I think the numbers have shown Smart to be an offensively below-average starting PG who's elite defensively and who rebounds well for his position. The difficulty comes in how inconsistent he is on the offensive side, which in a playoff series can screw you royally. Nonetheless, we had 5 guys who didn't play well led by our #1 star, our PG, and 3 rotation players.

Finally, I'd like to see a better PG, but I have trouble seeing how that happens.

[colincb]

BTW, Conley's toast.

[LilRip]

I think there's been quite a bit of overreaction because we lost, but moving Smart into a permanent starting role was a key reason for our defense being so good.

The team's main need is fortifying the bench. We really need a player that can create offensive consistently and someone who can shoot. If that can come internally, that'd be great (looking at you, Nesmith). Otherwise, those should be the team's focus.

And a real question: I've seen a lot of talk about getting a floor general, but who are these players that are attainable? Most starting guards in the league don't fit that bill and we're not getting CP3 or Haliburton.

We went up against some decent ones in the playoffs in Dragic and George Hill. I’m sure there are other vets out there (Rondo, if he’s not in legal problems and if he’s willing to come back. Conley, if he comes for cheap) who will do well to back up Smart. These guys are not good enough to supplant Smart but they can play well enough and provide leadership off your bench.

[Who]

For all the talk about Conley and having a true floor general with a high BBIQ who will bark at his teammates and organize the team's offense ... how did that work for Utah?

Utah's offense came off the rails in the playoffs against Dallas. It was a disorganized mess. Conley failed to do that there; why would he succeed in that here?

I think we overrate how much of an impact a floor general can have for dictating our offense. Unless you got a star PG, the ball will still primarily be in the hands of Tatum & Jaylen (our stars). Not your new floor general PG (glue guy). There is only so much that glue guy can do to optimize an offense next to those stars and a two big man lineup.

[Vermont Green]

I don't understand the question.  We have a #1 PG, Smart, I guess the question is more the type of PG rather than the numerical value of the PG.  So if the question is do me need more of a floor general type of PG, I offer the following for each of the final 8 teams this season and their #1 PGs:

Warriors         Curry
Celtics            Smart
Heat               Lowry
Mavs              Doncic
Grizzlies         Morant
Suns              Paul
Bucks            Holiday
Sixers            Harden

Of these 8 teams, the only PG that is truly a floor general type PG is Chris Paul.  I would consider Lowry and Holiday as more like Smart, a little better scorers but not traditional floor generals.  Holiday for example 19.6 Pts / 6.5 asst / 31.6 3% in the playoffs while Smart was 15.4 Pts / 5.9 asst / 35.0 3%.  Morant, Curry, Doncic all score a lot more but for those teams, their best player just happens to be their PG.  And I don't know what Harden is but I don't think he is what anyone means when they say floor general.

I think Smart is fine as a PG.  There are better PGs out there for sure (although not defensively).  Rubio for example is not a better player.  The Celtics would not be better with him on the court over Smart.  It would fix nothing and would reduce our overall level of talent.

The possible PG upgrade would be to bring in Beal and have him be a total score first PG.  Replace Smart with Beal.  In that case, Beal is less of a floor general than Smart but he is more talent.  The team only gets better if you replace Smart with more talent, not a lesser talented player that plays a style that is not even really clearly defined (floor general).

[johnnygreen]

This is not an easy question to answer. If we're focusing on the turnovers in the Finals, then you simply can't blame Marcus or whoever the point guard was. It was Jayson and Jaylon who killed the team with turnovers. Do the Jays have a high usage rate because Marcus is not an elite PG? I think the answer is no. They handle the ball because they're the team's best players.

I'm of the belief the team needs a dramatic change, simply because a team can't bring back the same players after losing the way they just did in the Finals. I would love to bring in Bradley Beal, as I think he would take a lot of pressure off of the Jays on the offensive end. However, that would have a negative effect on the defense. I thought the ideal free agent last season was Lonzo Ball, but he was never an option because of the cap. I'm not sure where he stands with Chicago after injuring his knee, and if there is any bad blood between the two. However, if I could trade Smart (and pieces) for Ball, I think it would be fantastic. Ball would fit that true PG role, that could also defend at an elite level.

Don't get me wrong, I am a Smart fan. However, I think his alpha personality holds this team back. Even if the Celtics traded for Beal, Smart would still have the biggest voice in the room.

[johnnygreen]

I don't understand the question.  We have a #1 PG, Smart, I guess the question is more the type of PG rather than the numerical value of the PG.  So if the question is do me need more of a floor general type of PG, I offer the following for each of the final 8 teams this season and their #1 PGs:

Warriors         Curry
Celtics            Smart
Heat               Lowry
Mavs              Doncic
Grizzlies         Morant
Suns              Paul
Bucks            Holiday
Sixers            Harden

Of these 8 teams, the only PG that is truly a floor general type PG is Chris Paul.  I would consider Lowry and Holiday as more like Smart, a little better scorers but not traditional floor generals.  Holiday for example 19.6 Pts / 6.5 asst / 31.6 3% in the playoffs while Smart was 15.4 Pts / 5.9 asst / 35.0 3%.  Morant, Curry, Doncic all score a lot more but for those teams, their best player just happens to be their PG.  And I don't know what Harden is but I don't think he is what anyone means when they say floor general.

I think Smart is fine as a PG.  There are better PGs out there for sure (although not defensively).  Rubio for example is not a better player.  The Celtics would not be better with him on the court over Smart.  It would fix nothing and would reduce our overall level of talent.

The possible PG upgrade would be to bring in Beal and have him be a total score first PG.  Replace Smart with Beal.  In that case, Beal is less of a floor general than Smart but he is more talent.  The team only gets better if you replace Smart with more talent, not a lesser talented player that plays a style that is not even really clearly defined (floor general).

I agree, there is a dramatic difference between a PG from the pre-2000's to the modern day PG. The older PG made plays at all 3 levels. Today's PG is more of a scorer, and essentially only creates shots for guys outside the 3 point line. Chris Paul is the perfect combination of the two.