Smart...

[liam]

These are good points about Smart:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/marcus-smart-crunch-time-struggles-162301938.html

Smart makes some great plays but also digs plenty of holes for the Celtics.

[Phantom255x]

White and Brogdon are better. Smart needs to come off the bench, period. If you want him for defensive situations late, fine. Otherwise Brogdon needs to be out there with White and the others in crunch time

[SparzWizard]

No I'm done with him. Hurry and ship him out and get him outta my sight.

He's completely watered down after winning DPOY as if that was his main goal. The main goal is to win NBA titles.

[johnnygreen]

I would trade Smart and try to improve the 4/5 position. I think his ego gets in the way of team success. White and Brogdon are both better overall, and understand their part of a team that has two star players. On the other hand, Smart sees himself as being the 3rd star.

[liam]

Smart drives me crazy with the hotdog plays.

[Who]

I would trade Smart and try to improve the 4/5 position. I think his ego gets in the way of team success. White and Brogdon are both better overall, and understand their part of a team that has two star players. On the other hand, Smart sees himself as being the 3rd star.

How does Smart see himself as the 3rd star?

As above others like Horford, Timelord, Brogdon or D White.

[TheTruth34]

If the goal is to win the title, then there can't be any concessions made for one individual's ego.  If you want to start Smart as an energy and defensive tone setter- that's fine.

But the closing lineup should be your 5 best players.  There's no reason in a close game that White should be off the floor.  Neither Brogdon for that matter, unless you're going two-big with Horford and Williams. 

Of all the coaching concerns with Mazzulla - this is the one I'm most worried about.  He continues to play Smart in crunch-time minutes over Brogdon/White and it's a clear mistake. 

Would love to be a fly on the wall for the internal convo he and Brad are having today.

 

[johnnygreen]

I would trade Smart and try to improve the 4/5 position. I think his ego gets in the way of team success. White and Brogdon are both better overall, and understand their part of a team that has two star players. On the other hand, Smart sees himself as being the 3rd star.

How does Smart see himself as the 3rd star?

As above others like Horford, Timelord, Brogdon or D White.

You can't be serious?

[Goldstar88]

If the goal is to win the title, then there can't be any concessions made for one individual's ego.  If you want to start Smart as an energy and defensive tone setter- that's fine.

But the closing lineup should be your 5 best players.  There's no reason in a close game that White should be off the floor.  Neither Brogdon for that matter, unless you're going two-big with Horford and Williams. 

Of all the coaching concerns with Mazzulla - this is the one I'm most worried about.  He continues to play Smart in crunch-time minutes over Brogdon/White and it's a clear mistake. 

Would love to be a fly on the wall for the internal convo he and Brad are having today.
 

You’re right, it should be that way. Unfortunately, it’s not, though. Egos have to be managed. Smart won DPOY last year, he’s been the starting PG for many years now. Benching him in crunch time for White and/or Brogdon would cause problems. He’s not a selfless player like those two. I could totally see Marcus asking for a trade if the C’s demoted him like that. Losing Marcus could mean losing Jaylen as they are really close friends, like brothers. It’s easy for us fans to say just bench this player for that one, but things aren’t always that simple.

[ozgod]

These are good points about Smart:

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/marcus-smart-crunch-time-struggles-162301938.html

Smart makes some great plays but also digs plenty of holes for the Celtics.

This is Smartacus...he makes grandstand plays that turn games. Unfortunately he is only successful about 20% of the time. But that 20% he can win you a game with a big play. Of the 80% when it doesn't work, probably about 60% of the time he fails but it doesn't matter so much. The other 20% of the time he might lose you a game because of it. Like going for that steal on Trae with 20 sec to go at halfcourt, 1 point ahead. The smart thing to do would have been to just defend and make it hard for Trae to score. But he decided to go for the steal, a high risk high reward play that would have won the game for us if it had been successful. We would have been lauding Smart for another Smartesque game winner had it been successful. It wasn't and what was worse is he was called for a foul, which ultimately helped us cost the game.

Gotta take the good with the bad with Smart...the standard deviation between the good and the bad with him is a lot higher than other players. Ultimately you have to decide if the 20% game winners he does is worth the 80% fails where 20% could end up costing you games. He's always going to gamble.

[Who]

I would trade Smart and try to improve the 4/5 position. I think his ego gets in the way of team success. White and Brogdon are both better overall, and understand their part of a team that has two star players. On the other hand, Smart sees himself as being the 3rd star.

How does Smart see himself as the 3rd star?

As above others like Horford, Timelord, Brogdon or D White.

You can't be serious?

Yes, I am serious. Could you explain please.

[TheTruth34]

If the goal is to win the title, then there can't be any concessions made for one individual's ego.  If you want to start Smart as an energy and defensive tone setter- that's fine.

But the closing lineup should be your 5 best players.  There's no reason in a close game that White should be off the floor.  Neither Brogdon for that matter, unless you're going two-big with Horford and Williams. 

Of all the coaching concerns with Mazzulla - this is the one I'm most worried about.  He continues to play Smart in crunch-time minutes over Brogdon/White and it's a clear mistake. 

Would love to be a fly on the wall for the internal convo he and Brad are having today.
 

You’re right, it should be that way. Unfortunately, it’s not, though. Egos have to be managed. Smart won DPOY last year, he’s been the starting PG for many years now. Benching him in crunch time for White and/or Brogdon would cause problems. He’s not a selfless player like those two. I could totally see Marcus asking for a trade if the C’s demoted him like that. Losing Marcus could mean losing Jaylen as they are really close friends, like brothers. It’s easy for us fans to say just bench this player for that one, but things aren’t always that simple.

Yeah I can't disagree.  And I've actually thought about the dynamic angle of this, as you stated well.  But now what to do - not play White/Brogdon in close/late situations?  It's a conundrum for sure.   But if Smart is starting and playing his customary 25-30 mins, I'd like to think (hope) he'd be fine if he loses those hi-lev minutes to players that are more steady and conducive to successfully closing out tight games.

[Who]

D White, Smart & Brogdon vs Hawks in playoffs

D White = leads the trio with 33mpg. Leads them with 19.4ppg and roughly 4rpg & 4apg while shooting a blistering 59% from the field, 50% from three and 73.7% TS%.

Smart = second in minutes with 30.6mpg. Second in scoring with 15.6ppg 5.4apg 4.6rpg while shooting 49% FG% 38% 3PT% and a TS% of 59.4%.

Brogdon = lowest in minutes at 25.6mpg. Lowest in scoring at 12.4ppg although that measures out to a similar number per minute as Smart overall. Adding 4.4apg and 4.0rpg which per minute is even with Smart in assists and slightly ahead (0.5reb per 36) in rebounds. Brogdon is shooting the lowest FG% at 44.4%, the lowest from 3P% at only 30% and the lowest overall in TS% at only 53% which is well behind both Smart and of course D White who is red hot.

[celticinorlando]

Closing line up should be white, brogdan, brown, Tatum and a big

[slamtheking]

D White, Smart & Brogdon vs Hawks in playoffs

D White = leads the trio with 33mpg. Leads them with 19.4ppg and roughly 4rpg & 4apg while shooting a blistering 59% from the field, 50% from three and 73.7% TS%.

Smart = second in minutes with 30.6mpg. Second in scoring with 15.6ppg 5.4apg 4.6rpg while shooting 49% FG% 38% 3PT% and a TS% of 59.4%.

Brogdon = lowest in minutes at 25.6mpg. Lowest in scoring at 12.4ppg although that measures out to a similar number per minute as Smart overall. Adding 4.4apg and 4.0rpg which per minute is even with Smart in assists and slightly ahead (0.5reb per 36) in rebounds. Brogdon is shooting the lowest FG% at 44.4%, the lowest from 3P% at only 30% and the lowest overall in TS% at only 53% which is well behind both Smart and of course D White who is red hot.

good figures to have.  just curious if you happen to have the TO and foul numbers