Marcus Smart = Baron Davis? (Hear Me Out)

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Baron Davis career stats

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

Marcus Smart rookie season

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/smartma01.html

Davis averaged a career 41% from the field with a 44% effective field goal percentage.

Smart was at 37% and 46% last year.

During his worst years, Davis was in the high 30's for field goal percentage. He always had a questionable shot selection, but did keep pressure on the opposing defense. He also impacted the game on defense by forcing turnovers. He was a prime time competitor, even if he was always a bit odd. Both are also big guards who use their strength to bully opposing defenders.

As a rookie, Davis averaged 42% fg, 23% 3fg, 63% ft, 6 ppg, 4 apg, 2 rpg, and 1 spg.
As a rookie, Smart averaged 37% fg, 34% 3fg, 65% ft, 8 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 apg, and 1.5 spg.

I think this is Smart's ceiling, only his leadership ability makes him a more reliable player than Davis was, and I think that CBS can make Smart a little more efficient. Davis's career stats were 16 ppg, 7 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg, on 42 fg%, 31 3fg%, and 67 ft%. I think that would be a great career for Smart.

(cue the Marcus Banks 2.0 and Tony Allen 2.0 comments)

[MJohnnyboy]

Baron Davis career stats

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

Marcus Smart rookie season

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/smartma01.html

Davis averaged a career 41% from the field with a 44% effective field goal percentage.

Smart was at 37% and 46% last year.

During his worst years, Davis was in the high 30's for field goal percentage. He always had a questionable shot selection, but did keep pressure on the opposing defense. He also impacted the game on defense by forcing turnovers. He was a prime time competitor, even if he was always a bit odd. Both are also big guards who use their strength to bully opposing defenders.

As a rookie, Davis averaged 42% fg, 23% 3fg, 63% ft, 6 ppg, 4 apg, 2 rpg, and 1 spg.
As a rookie, Smart averaged 37% fg, 34% 3fg, 65% ft, 8 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 apg, and 1.5 spg.

I think this is Smart's ceiling, only his leadership ability makes him a more reliable player than Davis was, and I think that CBS can make Smart a little more efficient. Davis's career stats were 16 ppg, 7 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg, on 42 fg%, 31 3fg%, and 67 ft%. I think that would be a great career for Smart.

(cue the Marcus Banks 2.0 and Tony Allen 2.0 comments)

I just pray Smart doesn't rely on the crowd to pump him up or become fat oaf like Davis did.

[clover]

Baron Davis career stats

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/davisba01.html

Marcus Smart rookie season

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/smartma01.html

Davis averaged a career 41% from the field with a 44% effective field goal percentage.

Smart was at 37% and 46% last year.

During his worst years, Davis was in the high 30's for field goal percentage. He always had a questionable shot selection, but did keep pressure on the opposing defense. He also impacted the game on defense by forcing turnovers. He was a prime time competitor, even if he was always a bit odd. Both are also big guards who use their strength to bully opposing defenders.

As a rookie, Davis averaged 42% fg, 23% 3fg, 63% ft, 6 ppg, 4 apg, 2 rpg, and 1 spg.
As a rookie, Smart averaged 37% fg, 34% 3fg, 65% ft, 8 ppg, 3 rpg, 3 apg, and 1.5 spg.

I think this is Smart's ceiling, only his leadership ability makes him a more reliable player than Davis was, and I think that CBS can make Smart a little more efficient. Davis's career stats were 16 ppg, 7 apg, 3 rpg, 2 spg, on 42 fg%, 31 3fg%, and 67 ft%. I think that would be a great career for Smart.

(cue the Marcus Banks 2.0 and Tony Allen 2.0 comments)

I just pray Smart doesn't rely on the crowd to pump him up or become fat oaf like Davis did.

Davis also averaged 7.3 assts/36 as a 20yo rookie. Smart, 3.1.

[beantownboy171]

I think that if your really compelled to make a comparison to Marcus Smart you need to find a player who played really really good defense. I don't think that Davis played with Smarts physicality on that end of the floor or was as good an on-ball defender.

It's hard to find a comparison to Smart's brand of defense which I think will be his hallmark.

[PhoSita]

I think Baron was an immensely talented player who never really made the most of his abilities.  The point guard version of Rasheed, only he never found a winning situation before he fell out of the league.

Smart doesn't seem to have the same natural abilities to me, but he's already a net positive player because of his defensive ability, and doesn't play beyond his skills on offense, for the most part. 

[rondohondo]

Davis was much more athletic and a better passer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-YehYyWyHU

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I can do anecdotal evidence too ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hV_aNQV1heE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3L1jhyBxCI

I did see the per36 numbers on assists, but Smart's usage rate was 15% and Davis' was 19%. In other words, Smart played off-ball more than Davis did his rookie season. That doesn't account for the entire difference, but it does some of it.

[Timdawgg]

Timely Post...Maybe the Celts will sign yet another PG...LOL

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/13301680/baron-davis-attempting-comeback-nba

[Big333223]

Very different styles of play. Davis, despite his girth, was more about finese than Smart is.

[crimson_stallion]

Umm...no lol

Baron Davis may have had Smarts physical size, but that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Davis was a rediculous athlete (came close to winning the dunk contest at least once), had excellent handles, and was one of the top 5 or so passers in the NBA - always up around the 8-9 assist per game mark.

Davis was a good defensive player (not as good on ball as Smart, but led the league in steals many times) but even though he was a very good scorer, he was till a pure Point Guard, which Marcus Smart isn't really.

Smart is definitely capable of playing PG, but he's doesn't no more than 'above average' in terms of ball handling and passing ability. 

If body type and shooting percentages are the only thing these guys have in common, then that's not a whole lot.

[Beat LA]

I think Baron was an immensely talented player who never really made the most of his abilities.  The point guard version of Rasheed, only he never found a winning situation before he fell out of the league.

Smart doesn't seem to have the same natural abilities to me, but he's already a net positive player because of his defensive ability, and doesn't play beyond his skills on offense, for the most part.

Then why, oh why, does he keep taking so many threes?  Ugh.  I know that it's probably a coaching thing, but still, ugh.  Smart would probably play much better on a team where he was allowed to play to his strengths, imo, instead of just standing around and chucking from deep.