Marcus Smart's Finishing

[mctyson]

I just see his problem, finishing and shooting, as primarily shot selection--choices--you guys want to fix his shot, he needs to make better decisions--he needs to take higher percentage shots in the flow of the game,  Not force shots when he has little chance of making it.   Think about the shots he does make, they are usually better percentage shots within the offense --the shots he misses are too often  hero ball shots--

He is missing layups and 8 foot floaters.  Guards in the NBA have to make those unless they are snipers from 3, which he definitely isn't.

I don't think he is putting enough work in on those.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

He plays too much for the foul instead of going for the shot.  A lot of our guys seem to do this and its a bad habit.

I was thinking along similar lines. For example, there was a play in last night's Charlotte game in which Smart had his man beat, and a clear lane from the low block to complete a layup, but instead of just taking the layup, he leaned away from the hoop and into his man as he went up for the shot. I don't know if he was trying to draw a foul or maybe trying to seal off his man from any possible block attempt, but it seemed to break Smart's concentration on the shot and he ended up missing the layup (though in this case someone (Theis, I think) was there to clean up the mess).

But yeah, Smart's shooting drives me bananas. Last night he might've been trying to make up for Kyrie's absence, which is a reasonable motive, but he needs to have the self-discipline to recognize that's not his game—he's not a scorer, and he certainly shouldn't even attempt to make up for a legit scorer's absence by taking more shots. In such cases, it would be more in line with his abilities to try to set up others to take more shots. If this team became decimated by injuries, to the point where Smart is starting alongside 4 G-Leaguers, I still wouldn't want him shooting 10+ times a game.

[moiso]

Why can't he finish inside?

What the heck? 

From my view it looks like he just doesn't have the touch that most guards do.  He front rims a lot of floaters, doesn't use the glass well, and doesn't have great body control in the air.

It also looks like he gets trapped between wanting to create space for a runner/floater and wanting to create contact to draw a foul.  I think this comes from the fact that he rarely gets any calls, largely because of how he plays defense.  He is never going to get the respect that IT got, for example.

I would like to see him improve his off-hand and also shoot more one-handed shots.  I think Kyrie could do him wonders by just showing him a couple up and under moves to work on.  Marcus seems like the type of guy who has too much pride to want help but he needs it on offense.  The ball is simply not going through the basket for him.

That being said, I don't really think he cares too much about any of this.  He would rather win games, box out, and fight 7-footers.

An under then up might be ok for Smart but I don’t think an up and under would work well for him.  We already established that he can’t jump off of one foot and I think he would struggle to make it to the other side of the rim.  And if he did make it the degree of difficulty would be greater.

Plus Rozier already drives me nuts with his up and unders.  Sometimes it seems like he has a decent layup on one side of the rim but still decides to do a 10 foot long jump to the other side where he attempts some ridiculously difficult spin shot.

[Rosco917]

I listen to the respect that Brad Stevens gathers on this blog, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. In fact the entire NBA does. The guy is a far above average coaching mind, and we're lucky to have him.

He chooses to let Marcus Smart be on the floor at games close...Why?

Is it that he has no other players? then Why?

Smart impacts a game with his energy and intangibles, that's why.

He has "just" enough scoring ability to stay on the floor, and the ability to "will" the team to a victory, more than not. And Stevens knows it.

IMO Marcus reacted incorrectly when Kyrie left the game, he put the scoring weight of the team on his own shoulders. That was his mistake.

Hopefully, he doesn't continually repeat it.

[td450]

I listen to the respect that Brad Stevens gathers on this blog, and I agree with it wholeheartedly. In fact the entire NBA does. The guy is a far above average coaching mind, and we're lucky to have him.

He chooses to let Marcus Smart be on the floor at games close...Why?

Is it that he has no other players? then Why?

Smart impacts a game with his energy and intangibles, that's why.

He has "just" enough scoring ability to stay on the floor, and the ability to "will" the team to a victory, more than not. And Stevens knows it.

IMO Marcus reacted incorrectly when Kyrie left the game, he put the scoring weight of the team on his own shoulders. That was his mistake.

Hopefully, he doesn't continually repeat it.

I agree with this point, but this isn't a blank check. So far, Stevens really hasn't had 5 more talented two way players, but that window is closing fast on Marcus. If Hayward was available, this year he might have been sitting at the end of games.

If he doesn't become a mediocre finisher, he will eventually lose his place in the team hierarchy, because the progression of talent on this team is going to leave him behind. We won't be sitting Brown or Tatum so he can finish games next year.

[Androslav]

Marcus from the field on the year - 37 makes/90 misses.
Even for him, that is setting new boundaries.
Good game last night though.

[azzenfrost]

More often than not, he makes good decisions. There's still room for growth. I think he has another lever to go up.

[hodgy03038]

He made some threes when we needed them last night AND who comes down with the final rebound amongst the trees? Best+/- on the team last night. 9 assists.

[Sophomore]

He made some threes when we needed them last night AND who comes down with the final rebound amongst the trees? Best+/- on the team last night. 9 assists.

Funny game on offense for Marcus. He only shot 3/10 from the field, but he still managed 14 points because two of the makes were threes and he got to the line 6 times and hit all 6 attempts. His nine assists were also essential to the team's success, and included a couple of big baskets down the stretch in the fourth (remember the nice lofted pass to Al for the dunk?). You'd like to have a much more efficient player out there, but he was still our best option (by a lot) to run the offense with KI out.