Thank You Marcus Smart! We’ll Miss You

[keevsnick]

https://twitter.com/smart_ms3/status/1672338094463352837?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Marcus’ goodbye to the fans and team. I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭

Ultimately, we didn’t get that 18th banner.

Knife meet heart. God, this sucks.

Oh boy, this hurts. Hopefully he gets a monstrous greeting when MEM plays in Boston next season. 

[SparzWizard]

https://twitter.com/smart_ms3/status/1672338094463352837?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Marcus’ goodbye to the fans and team. I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭

Ultimately, we didn’t get that 18th banner.

Knife meet heart. God, this sucks.

Oh boy, this hurts. Hopefully he gets a monstrous greeting when MEM plays in Boston next season.

Hope Boston fans don't take that too personally, "didn't get that 18th banner" lol! Could've been Smart's jab back at us or Brad Stevens for trading him. Or could've been Smart's fact. However a fan interprets that.

[Big333223]

https://twitter.com/smart_ms3/status/1672338094463352837?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Marcus’ goodbye to the fans and team. I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭

Ultimately, we didn’t get that 18th banner.

Knife meet heart. God, this sucks.

Oh boy, this hurts. Hopefully he gets a monstrous greeting when MEM plays in Boston next season.

Hope Boston fans don't take that too personally, "didn't get that 18th banner" lol! Could've been Smart's jab back at us or Brad Stevens for trading him. Or could've been Smart's fact. However a fan interprets that.

You'd have to be pretty removed from reality to interpret that as a jab.

[Goldstar88]

https://twitter.com/smart_ms3/status/1672338094463352837?s=46&t=lGU0TGXtwjkuVuoin6WTNw

Marcus’ goodbye to the fans and team. I’m not crying, you’re crying 😭

Ultimately, we didn’t get that 18th banner.

Knife meet heart. God, this sucks.

Oh boy, this hurts. Hopefully he gets a monstrous greeting when MEM plays in Boston next season.

Hope Boston fans don't take that too personally, "didn't get that 18th banner" lol! Could've been Smart's jab back at us or Brad Stevens for trading him. Or could've been Smart's fact. However a fan interprets that.

You'd have to be pretty removed from reality to interpret that as a jab.

  TP for the laugh.

[boscel33]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

[Rikibellevie]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

Meh. I get the people who wanted him to play the 2, but his lack of shooting and off ball creation would have limited him more than at PG. I still think people who didn't like his game or didn't forget some lost matches on hero ball, undervalute his offensive game at PG.

Maybe he played at the point because it was his role in the team, decided by owners, coaches. Beetwin Irving departure and Brogdon arrival he was the only titluary level PG and the team (I forgot Kemba ). I remember Stevens talking about the benefits and importance of Smart when he passed the ball in the tempo, turned to great assists. This year he was still by a little marge the better passer behind Brogdon, so trashing him for his (maybe) little below average at the point is ridiculous when he was arguably our best at the combination on ballhandling, creating and passing. Don't even talk about switching where he is the best PG ever (but not used with Mazz as Udoka)

And what is funny, is that Brogdon is much more in the shoot first mentality than Smart and Cousy is OK with him being the titulary, like most of you. Not speaking about his healthes issues which is a reason why he was on the departure line before Smart (and why his trade felt down). I don't even talk about PP who is not a great passer in RS, not even saying the bg doubt about his capacity to bring something real in PO (pointed in defense + reliable to 3s). And it is OK for him to be our 1st sub.

Smart was bot the player many says and I hope he will show it in Mem. I think with no change we will see it in our game (maybe note in RS but next year PO) with a more individual, previsible and uncreative game. Boring.

[Celtics4ever]

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

I would like to challenge this assertion with cold hard facts. Smart averaged 6.3  APG.   One has to wonder how many game Bob is watching these days.   

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2023.html

That was good enough to be 17th best in the NBA

https://www.landofbasketball.com/year_by_year_stats/2022_2023_leaders_assists_pg_rs.htm

IF you take over Sabonis, Joker and Draymond who are not guards , he would 13th

It is a different game when Bob played.  But Cousey himself averaged 7.6  APG for his career

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cousybo01.html

Smart was the best Alley Opp guy on the team and the best at getting Time Lord involved

[bdm860]

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

I would like to challenge this assertion with cold hard facts. Smart averaged 6.3  APG.   One has to wonder how many game Bob is watching these days.   

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/BOS/2023.html

That was good enough to be 17th best in the NBA

https://www.landofbasketball.com/year_by_year_stats/2022_2023_leaders_assists_pg_rs.htm

IF you take over Sabonis, Joker and Draymond who are not guards , he would 13th

It is a different game when Bob played.  But Cousey himself averaged 7.6  APG for his career

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/cousybo01.html

Smart was the best Alley Opp guy on the team and the best at getting Time Lord involved

Ya, when I started reading the Cousy quote, I thought he was going to say "he thought he was a shooter...".  Smart functioning as a PG seemed like a pretty willing and able passer to me.  He was great at spotting guys down low for an easy dunk or finding the open man if the D collapsed on his drive.  If Smart's driving or leading the break, I expected to see a pass every time. 

Most of Smart's shots seemed like they were catch-and-shoot, which I wouldn't consider creating opportunities for himself. (NBA.com says 46% of his shots were catch-and-shoot, compare that to other PGs who look for their own shot like Kyrie 17.9% or Steph 26.3%, Trae Young 7%, Lillard 19.2%, etc.).

Smart thinking he was a shooter though, that's what frustrated me (and probably all of us) the most.  But it wasn't from him creating for himself, it was from the team swinging the ball and finding him wide open and him letting it fly.

[Kernewek]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

As a general rule of thumb we should perhaps avoid relying on the opinions of nonagenarians for much of anything in the way of analysis.

[Celtics4ever]

I think it is fair to say Marcus did take some bad shots, but I never saw him as a shooter.    That being said, I was sad to see him traded and he was heart and soul of the team.

[Surferdad]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

As a general rule of thumb we should perhaps avoid relying on the opinions of nonagenarians for much of anything in the way of analysis.

No, I don't like the sound of that. He's not senile. He is a HOF all-time great and he knows a few things about basketball.

[lbgreen33]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

Meh. I get the people who wanted him to play the 2, but his lack of shooting and off ball creation would have limited him more than at PG. I still think people who didn't like his game or didn't forget some lost matches on hero ball, undervalute his offensive game at PG.

Maybe he played at the point because it was his role in the team, decided by owners, coaches. Beetwin Irving departure and Brogdon arrival he was the only titluary level PG and the team (I forgot Kemba ). I remember Stevens talking about the benefits and importance of Smart when he passed the ball in the tempo, turned to great assists. This year he was still by a little marge the better passer behind Brogdon, so trashing him for his (maybe) little below average at the point is ridiculous when he was arguably our best at the combination on ballhandling, creating and passing. Don't even talk about switching where he is the best PG ever (but not used with Mazz as Udoka)

And what is funny, is that Brogdon is much more in the shoot first mentality than Smart and Cousy is OK with him being the titulary, like most of you. Not speaking about his healthes issues which is a reason why he was on the departure line before Smart (and why his trade felt down). I don't even talk about PP who is not a great passer in RS, not even saying the bg doubt about his capacity to bring something real in PO (pointed in defense + reliable to 3s). And it is OK for him to be our 1st sub.

Smart was bot the player many says and I hope he will show it in Mem. I think with no change we will see it in our game (maybe note in RS but next year PO) with a more individual, previsible and uncreative game. Boring.

I don't agree with you about Brogdon. The reason I believe he was shoot first in Boston is beause that is what they brought him in for. The Celtics needed scoring punch off the Bench, He provided that, at least till he got hurt.

[No Nickname]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

Meh. I get the people who wanted him to play the 2, but his lack of shooting and off ball creation would have limited him more than at PG. I still think people who didn't like his game or didn't forget some lost matches on hero ball, undervalute his offensive game at PG.

Maybe he played at the point because it was his role in the team, decided by owners, coaches. Beetwin Irving departure and Brogdon arrival he was the only titluary level PG and the team (I forgot Kemba ). I remember Stevens talking about the benefits and importance of Smart when he passed the ball in the tempo, turned to great assists. This year he was still by a little marge the better passer behind Brogdon, so trashing him for his (maybe) little below average at the point is ridiculous when he was arguably our best at the combination on ballhandling, creating and passing. Don't even talk about switching where he is the best PG ever (but not used with Mazz as Udoka)

And what is funny, is that Brogdon is much more in the shoot first mentality than Smart and Cousy is OK with him being the titulary, like most of you. Not speaking about his healthes issues which is a reason why he was on the departure line before Smart (and why his trade felt down). I don't even talk about PP who is not a great passer in RS, not even saying the bg doubt about his capacity to bring something real in PO (pointed in defense + reliable to 3s). And it is OK for him to be our 1st sub.

Smart was bot the player many says and I hope he will show it in Mem. I think with no change we will see it in our game (maybe note in RS but next year PO) with a more individual, previsible and uncreative game. Boring.

I don't agree with you about Brogdon. The reason I believe he was shoot first in Boston is beause that is what they brought him in for. The Celtics needed scoring punch off the Bench, He provided that, at least till he got hurt.

Exactly.  Last season fans clamored for more scoring off the bench to lighten the load for Tatum/Brown.

Then we get it and some fans are like "he's a shoot first player" as if that's inherently selfish or something.

If you're the best, or second-best, or third-best offensive option on the floor then you better put some shots up.

[Kernewek]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

As a general rule of thumb we should perhaps avoid relying on the opinions of nonagenarians for much of anything in the way of analysis.

No, I don't like the sound of that. He's not senile. He is a HOF all-time great and he knows a few things about basketball.

I wouldn't ask William Beebe's opinion on the OceanGate submarine, either, and the laws of physics have changed less than the game of basketball.
Cous is entitled to his opinion, but even if he's a 'cognitive super ager' his accomplishments would have little bearing on the quality of his commentary on the modern game in general, let alone a throwaway comment about a former player.

[green_bballers13]

I've been trying to put my finger on it, why I didn't care for Smart, but Cousey says it perfectly:

“I liked Smart,” Cousy said. “I didn’t like some of the things he did. He thought he was a point guard when he was not. His mind was more to create opportunities for himself. In my judgment, point guards have to come across midcourt thinking, ‘How am I going to set one of the other guys up?’ That was never his thing.”

As a general rule of thumb we should perhaps avoid relying on the opinions of nonagenarians for much of anything in the way of analysis.

No, I don't like the sound of that. He's not senile. He is a HOF all-time great and he knows a few things about basketball.

I wouldn't ask William Beebe's opinion on the OceanGate submarine, either, and the laws of physics have changed less than the game of basketball.
Cous is entitled to his opinion, but even if he's a 'cognitive super ager' his accomplishments would have little bearing on the quality of his commentary on the modern game in general, let alone a throwaway comment about a former player.

I agree. The current day NBA is far different than the league that Cous played in. Almost different sports.