What player puts the Cs over the top

[bdm860]

Boston needs 1 more All Star level player.  Position doesn't matter as long as he can play with Tatum and Brown.

Marcus Smart has been All-Star level since the calendar turned to 2022.  I know that's hard for some people here to admit, but it's true.

Since I like to argue…. What guards have made the All-Star team at Marcus’ 2022 level of production?  Korver is the only one I can think of, and he was shooting over 50% from 3PT / .700 TS% while playing for a 1st place team when selected.

'12 Iguodala maybe?    Finished year 12.4/6.1/5./1.7 compared to Smart's current 12.2/3.9/5.7/1.7.

Personally, I would think Time Lord is closer to All-Star than Smart.  With Roy Hibbert ('12, '14) and Tyson Chandler ('13) being the most recent comps I can think of.  Others like Gobert, Drummond, DeAndre Jordan, Noah while similar tend to have gaudier stats.

If you go back 10-20 years, then you have guys like Theo Ratliff, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Jamaal Magloire, Ben Wallace, etc.

Like DPOY, seems easier for a defensive big to make an All-Star team than a defensive guard/wing.

[Roy H.]

Smart even has the #2 assist-turnover ratio of that group.  His offensive efficiency is approaching the elite players of the game this year, and yeah, he's playing at an all-star level.  Will he ever get voted to a game?  Not as long as traditional box score counting stats decide it.  But I don't think people realize how good his offense has been -- even I didn't know the company he was keeping until I responded to this post.

The bolded is probably overstating it, no? 

I’m really impressed by Marcus.  His shooting is the best it’s ever been, seemingly.  But, 14 points on .600 TS% doesn’t point you among the elite offensive players.

I like bdm’s Iggy comparison though.  That’s a good reflection of the type of 2022 Marcus is having.

[Celtics2021]

Smart even has the #2 assist-turnover ratio of that group.  His offensive efficiency is approaching the elite players of the game this year, and yeah, he's playing at an all-star level.  Will he ever get voted to a game?  Not as long as traditional box score counting stats decide it.  But I don't think people realize how good his offense has been -- even I didn't know the company he was keeping until I responded to this post.

The bolded is probably overstating it, no? 

I’m really impressed by Marcus.  His shooting is the best it’s ever been, seemingly.  But, 14 points on .600 TS% doesn’t point you among the elite offensive players.

I like bdm’s Iggy comparison though.  That’s a good reflection of the type of 2022 Marcus is having.

Is it overstating it?  The three major components of efficiency are TS%, assists, and turnovers.  His shooting is efficient, he's creating for others, and he's taking care of the ball.  He's efficient, and that list he's on is full of other players we know to be elite on the offensive end.  The one thing he isn't doing is producing that on high usage; rather, it's moderate usage.  But that doesn't speak directly to efficiency.

Still, the term was all-star level.  Suppose Marcus Smart had these stats over the first 35 games of the season, such that it was early January and voting was just getting started, and the Celtics were 26-9 (as they've been over their last 35), in 1st place in the East, and with the best point-differential in the league by a significant margin.  Don't you think that the Zach Lowe's of the world would be writing articles on how Marcus Smart deserves all-star consideration?  I do.

[ETNCeltics]

IMO, what we need now and in the near-term is a big man to replace Al, and another good 3 pt shooter off the bench. Our starting 5 has been as good as any in the league, and our team as a whole has been the best in the East for over 2 months. The only team with a better record than us the last 2+ months is the Suns.

We don't need star caliber players. We need role players and depth.

[wiley]

James Posey

[kraidstar]

Aaron Nesmith. When he figures things out it is going to solve a lot of problems.

[slamtheking]

James Posey

touche.  TP for the exact type of player we could use. 

[Roy H.]

James Posey

touche.  TP for the exact type of player we could use.

Yeah, I remember when we signed Posey, and my reaction was exactly that:  “this is the guy who will put us over the top”.

[Donoghus]

James Posey

touche.  TP for the exact type of player we could use.

Yeah, I remember when we signed Posey, and my reaction was exactly that:  “this is the guy who will put us over the top”.

Yup.  Him & Eddie.

It was like "[dang], this team is stacked and gonna win a championship"

[bdm860]

Besides a couple of inches, how different is 2008 Posey from current day Jae Crowder?

[Csfan1984]

Out side top 25 (for me) and only because Al is getting older and GW might be looking at serious $ to resign.

John Collins and Gali for Al, White, GW.
Gives you lots of switching and more pick and roll.

Brogdon, McConnell and Turner for same Al, White, GW.
Gives you even more size.

just because the C's overpaid for White doesn't mean those teams will.  Atlanta and Indy both say "no thanks"

That's just players in and out. Obviously picks would need to be added.

[jambr380]

Boston needs 1 more All Star level player.  Position doesn't matter as long as he can play with Tatum and Brown.

Marcus Smart has been All-Star level since the calendar turned to 2022.  I know that's hard for some people here to admit, but it's true.

Since I like to argue…. What guards have made the All-Star team at Marcus’ 2022 level of production?  Korver is the only one I can think of, and he was shooting over 50% from 3PT / .700 TS% while playing for a 1st place team when selected.

I know Guard is a big part of your question, but Draymond made the ASG this year basically averaging 7.5/7.5/7.5. Yes, he is probably considered a big, but not in the traditional sense. Just like Marcus isn't a Guard in the traditional sense. When you take defense into consideration with these two, a case can be made for Marcus, although he probably falls short - even if we were #1 in EC. The traditional big already on our team w/ lower scoring numbers, but more eye-popping defensive stats probably gets the nod ahead of Marcus.

[jambr380]

IMO, what we need now and in the near-term is a big man to replace Al, and another good 3 pt shooter off the bench. Our starting 5 has been as good as any in the league, and our team as a whole has been the best in the East for over 2 months. The only team with a better record than us the last 2+ months is the Suns.

We don't need star caliber players. We need role players and depth.

We can honestly ride the Al wave for a couple more seasons if we are willing to pay him next season (he'll be a lot cheaper after that). We'll have a sizable TPE and the taxpayer MLE to fill out the bench this offseason if we are willing to go well into the tax...and we should be with the way this team has been playing. This is the time.

As for the OP's actual question, I guess we'll just have to see who becomes available. As others have mentioned it could be anybody as seemingly small as Posey, House, PJ Brown. They just have to fit in well with the rest of the team and produce in their role. I don't necessarily think we need another bonafide All-Star, but I wouldn't reject one who wanted to come here on the cheap.

[RJD1974]

I'd love to find a way to pick up Robert Covington.

[slamtheking]

Out side top 25 (for me) and only because Al is getting older and GW might be looking at serious $ to resign.

John Collins and Gali for Al, White, GW.
Gives you lots of switching and more pick and roll.

Brogdon, McConnell and Turner for same Al, White, GW.
Gives you even more size.

just because the C's overpaid for White doesn't mean those teams will.  Atlanta and Indy both say "no thanks"

That's just players in and out. Obviously picks would need to be added.

wouldn't be able to include enough picks to get them interested.