Insight into Marcus calling out the team...

[Roy H.]

"It was nothing I hadn't said behind closed doors," Udoka told MacMullan. "But in this case, it was a player saying it publicly. And what Marcus was saying in that particular game was totally invalid. Jayson and Jaylen were drawing a lot of doubles and were making the correct pass each time -- including to Marcus -- who couldn't make a shot that night."

Udoka followed up with Smart that there were parts of his game that he needed to fix, too, but before addressing any of that, he'd need to make things right with Tatum and Brown, who didn't appreciate the public criticism.

"Ime told me, 'It's out, don't run from it,'" Smart told The Ringer. "'Those are your brothers and they feel hurt.'"

"We sat down as a team and got it all out there," assistant coach Damon Stoudamire told The Ringer. "Marcus made a statement, then the other guys said, 'OK, we hear what you are saying, but you need to be accountable too. You gotta take better care of the ball.'"

I had always been under the impression that the team sort of sided with Marcus, and that JT and JB decided that they needed to do better.  Ime is basically contradicting that here.  It seems like his message was, "clean up your own back yard, Marcus".

[cons]

at this point Ime has bought himself a ton of credibility

whatever he says

im good with it

but yeah, cleaning up your own backyard is always a nice sentiment. on the celtics and anywhere else for that matter

[kraidstar]

Good on Ime for putting out that fire and turning it into a positive

[gouki88]

Ime touching on Marcus being unable to make a shot is what I and many other posters said at the time too. Ha!

[celticsclay]

When was the last team to reach a finals that had as big a turnaround in season as we did. I can’t think of anyone recently.

[nickagneta]

I, for one, always thought it a DB move from Smart. I remember it came out after a game where he played like crap. Guess I was right, though maybe it was a good thing and it turned into a humbling experience that made him a better player thereafter.

[colincb]

Smart was the biggest problem in the starting lineup early in the season, said something dumb after a bad loss, and to his credit improved his play thereafter.

He didn't turn around the team unlike what many gave him credit for. He turned himself around.

[liam]

Smart was the biggest problem in the starting lineup early in the season, said something dumb after a bad loss, and to his credit improved his play thereafter.

He didn't turn around the team unlike what many gave him credit for. He turned himself around.

That's how I saw it. That's what it takes for Marcus to look in the mirror then good.

[nickagneta]

Why is this coming out now? Was it just Udoka setting the record straight during an interview with MacMullen and the Ringer that happened to reference Smart's comments and so they dug deeper on the whole thing?

Seems strange it's coming out now?

And given all this, I think it cool that the Jays and Smart seem pretty tight and look at themselves as Celtic brothers . Seeing them hanging together and showing the love during the trophy ceremonies the other day filled my green colored heart. Family💚💚💚

[staticcc]

When was the last team to reach a finals that had as big a turnaround in season as we did. I can’t think of anyone recently.

2010 Celtics finished 50-32. Do they count? 2011 Heat and 2018 Cavs come to mind also.

[Csfan1984]

Smart was no doubt in the wrong especially after the season he was having and the game he just played with those comments.

When the team had a meeting he was called out again instead of it being the team asking for more touches. The Jays stood against any notion of them being a problem and no one backed Smart. It became a meeting about public comments and the lack of defense.

Smart to his credit being left in no man's land and trade rumors heating up he apologized and played the best version of himself.

The great turn around team wise wasn't the Jays sharing the ball. The Jays were already averaging huge potential ast numbers. The change was everyone hitting more shots with those looks and playing lock down defense. Grant, TL, Smart, Josh, Horford and Pritchard as well as Tatum all brought their shooting numbers back up. The rest is history.

[Moranis]

When was the last team to reach a finals that had as big a turnaround in season as we did. I can’t think of anyone recently.

The Cavs in that last season with Lebron (after Kyrie was traded) was the season they traded half of their team at the trade deadline, but they had a 13 game winning streak early in that season to go to 18-7 and never fell below at least 10 games above .500 after that.  But from a pure chemistry standpoint, I'd say that team was even more a mess than the C's were early this season (which is why they traded half the team).  That is the only recent team I can think of that made the Finals that wasn't really good all season long. 

[tonydelk]

Smart was no doubt in the wrong especially after the season he was having and the game he just played with those comments.

When the team had a meeting he was called out again instead of it being the team asking for more touches. The Jays stood against any notion of them being a problem and no one backed Smart. It became a meeting about public comments and the lack of defense.

Smart to his credit being left in no man's land and trade rumors heating up he apologized and played the best version of himself.

The great turn around team wise wasn't the Jays sharing the ball. The Jays were already averaging huge potential ast numbers. The change was everyone hitting more shots with those looks and playing lock down defense. Grant, TL, Smart, Josh, Horford and Pritchard as well as Tatum all brought their shooting numbers back up. The rest is history.

It also led the js to trust their teammates more that they would make the shot as well which has led to better playmaking.  If you don't trust your mates to make the shot you will try to do it yourself.  Now the js know their guys will hit big open shots and are more willing to draw defenders and know where their spots are.  It all has led to this ball movement and scoring.  Just trusting eachother.    I just wish they'd stop losing trust late in games and keep the same pace and movement.

[Csfan1984]

Smart was no doubt in the wrong especially after the season he was having and the game he just played with those comments.

When the team had a meeting he was called out again instead of it being the team asking for more touches. The Jays stood against any notion of them being a problem and no one backed Smart. It became a meeting about public comments and the lack of defense.

Smart to his credit being left in no man's land and trade rumors heating up he apologized and played the best version of himself.

The great turn around team wise wasn't the Jays sharing the ball. The Jays were already averaging huge potential ast numbers. The change was everyone hitting more shots with those looks and playing lock down defense. Grant, TL, Smart, Josh, Horford and Pritchard as well as Tatum all brought their shooting numbers back up. The rest is history.

It also led the js to trust their teammates more that they would make the shot as well which has led to better playmaking.  If you don't trust your mates to make the shot you will try to do it yourself.  Now the js know their guys will hit big open shots and are more willing to draw defenders and know where their spots are.  It all has led to this ball movement and scoring.  Just trusting eachother.    I just wish they'd stop losing trust late in games and keep the same pace and movement.

That isn't exactly fair look at game 6 and 7. How many shots did the Jays take at the end? One could argue they trust too much right now.

The problem is how they engage their attack and their pace at times. Both methods cause turnovers especially when Ime adds in the lineups of too many non-shooters at once.

Grant and Pritchard need more involvement when Smart and TL struggle. Coach Ime needs to trust his bench and give the Jays outlet options it's not a Jays issue. You can't double Tatum with a lineup of Al, JB, Grant and Pritchard. They will shred teams. Brown is also good with big man help. Most of Brown's good ast games comes in games were the bigs show presence down low and are active in the offensive attack. When the big seals Brown has a dump off options. When the defense collapses he hits Smart or Tatum high. That's all good offense based on the attack style and rotation.

It's the finals and Ime needs to understand what works and make quick adjustments when guys are struggling. He needs to trust his bench and be willing to call out plays more. The focus should be help the Jays be great for when the Jays both have it going other guys end up wide open. If guys are struggling give other guys a shot, literally.

[timpiker]

Smart was the biggest problem in the starting lineup early in the season, said something dumb after a bad loss, and to his credit improved his play thereafter.

He didn't turn around the team unlike what many gave him credit for. He turned himself around.

I disagree.  All 3 of them turned their games around.  I agreed with Marcus' calling out the J's for being ball hogs.  They were.  And I think Marcus got better as well.  And, as far as Marcus doing it publicly, maybe he tried privately and they just wouldn't listen.  Most C's fans knew the J's were ball hogs.  And the idea that if you are not perfect, then you cannot criticize someone else?  BS.