Any chance game 4 humbled Smart?

[nebist]

I think we can all agree that Marcus' head has gotten a little too big this post season with way too much "I" and "Me" in his commentary. Question is - do folks think last nights dominating with without him humbled him just a bit?

I really hope it did, I love what Marcus does on the court, but his level of self importance and worth on this team is starting to get a bit sickening. I honestly wonder if it's starting to become a distraction like the IT 'back up the brinks truck' days?

Either way I hope the team builds on last night and when Marcus comes back he brings the same level of intensity with the difference being he realizes that this team is not fueled by his intense ego.

Wait, what?

[dannyboy35]

  Those are cringey statements but I’ll go by his play and he didn’t even play last one. Gulp.  I just want him healthy. I want Rob healthy. Neither seems realistic.

[Donoghus]

Huh? 

I think he's been a team player this season. He's bought in & adjusted his game.  He's been a leader/coach/mentor on & off the court.  I think he's been a real pro this season and haven't sensed any real issues down the stretch here.

[Who]

Speaks to how well Derrick White has been playing that he has been able to replace Marcus Smart so easily.

[nickagneta]

This thread is just a projection of the OPs feelings about Smart onto Smart. You don't know the guy but are making definitive statements about the guy's personality and demeanor. Many on this site do it.

The best example of this is in GreenlyGreen's trade thread were he assigns desires, feelings and personality traits onto players to come to his reasonings about why trades need to be made.

We don't personally know these guys. We don't know what they're like. But some label our players having major egos problems, jealousy problems, greed problems, selfishness problems, intelligence problems, out of the game distraction problems, etc.

We don't know these guys. How can you come up with these definitive opinions unless people are just projecting their biases onto the player of their choice?

[Vermont Green]

I sure hope it doesn't humble Smart or change his approach in any way.

Focusing on Defense is the most unselfish thing you can do on the court.  I don't think anything is going to change Smart's approach to and pride in his defense.  Again, I sure hope not.

I guess by "humble" you mean maybe he takes a few less shots?  OK, yeah there are probably a couple each game you wish he didn't take but I think his shot selection overall has been fine the the playoffs.  36% 3p% in the playoffs.  Leads the team in assists per game.  Takes pressure off Tatum and Brown.

I am good with Smart just the way he is.

[Yuckabuck33]

Can we lay to bed this idea that Marcus Smart thinks he's a better scorer or shooter than he really is and takes shotd he shouldn't because of ego? It should be obvious by his remarks, that he is finally allowed to be what he is- a point guard, that BRAD STEVENS WANTED HIM SHOOTING THOSE SHOTS.
He wasn't shooting in years past because of ego or thinking he's a star, like a lot of people on here said. He was shooting because that was his role.
I like him a lot better in his "Dennis Johnson" role this year.

[Surferdad]

Smart is taking those shots because they are available when nothing else is. Opponents have to choose their poison and it ain’t Tatum, or Brown and frequently not Horford.

Game 4 won’t change anything.

[tarheelsxxiii]

Nope. We don't win a championship without Smart. It may sound controversial, but he's as important as anyone on the team. The same can be said of Draymond Green and GSW. He's critical to our success.

[MarcusSmartFanClub]

Nope. We don't win a championship without Smart. It may sound controversial, but he's as important as anyone on the team. The same can be said of Draymond Green and GSW. He's critical to our success.

He's the best defensive guard of his generation. I think he's one of the best defensive players I've ever seen in green (including KG, Tony Allen, Avery Bradley, Parish, McHale, and DJ). People focus on points, but defense matters.

Sure, Tatum might end up turning into our Patrick Mahomes (no one will equal Tom Brady), but Smart is our Lawrence Taylor. Funny how LT got away with anything. The only thing that mattered was his play on the field.

Let's go Marcus! Let's go Celtics!

[Big333223]

Add me to the chorus of those who don't understand where the OP is coming from.

I've actually thought something of the opposite about these playoffs. I feel like he's been playing less angry than he did as a younger guy. He's no less intense, but I see more smiles from him. He's a little older and knows what to let slide. He's turned into the kind of floor general a lot of us hoped he would.

He had a bad game 3 but so did everyone else. Love the guy.

[Vermont Green]

Nope. We don't win a championship without Smart. It may sound controversial, but he's as important as anyone on the team. The same can be said of Draymond Green and GSW. He's critical to our success.

This is a good point, a good comparison.  Green tends to get more hype than Smart, I guess he has championships and Smart doesn't, but how important they are to the team and the ways that they are important are similar.

I think you are right, we need Marcus Smart being Marcus Smart to have a chance at the title.  We need plenty of other things also but Marcus is one of the key ingredients.

That ankle roll looked brutal.  It has to be really sore.  But if he can give us what he did when we were making our "run" in game 3, that will make a big differnce.