Anyone want to bet Marcus Smart wont shoot over 40% this year?

[Boris Badenov]

Just for fun here are Marcus's first-half splits and Jason Kidd's in his rookie year. Numbers are per-36 (Kidd was playing 30-35 mpg all year).

       Kidd        Smart
Pts     9.5        10.3
Reb     5.7         4.4
Ast     7.5         5.1
TO      3.2         2.1
FG%      .367        .422
3PT%     .219        .331
3PA     2.59        5.7
FT%      .659        .645
TS%      .422        .501
FTA     3.07        3.9
Stl     2.0         1.8

Interesting to note that for all the griping about Smart's aggressiveness, he's getting to the line more than Kidd did. The primary offensive difference is in shooting 3's instead of 2's (which gives Marcus a substantial edge in shooting efficiency).

[celtics2030]

Just for fun here are Marcus's first-half splits and Jason Kidd's in his rookie year. Numbers are per-36 (Kidd was playing 30-35 mpg all year).

       Kidd        Smart
Pts     9.5        10.3
Reb     5.7         4.4
Ast     7.5         5.1
TO      3.2         2.1
FG%      .367        .422
3PT%     .219        .331
3PA     2.59        5.7
FT%      .659        .645
TS%      .422        .501
FTA     3.07        3.9
Stl     2.0         1.8

Interesting to note that for all the griping about Smart's aggressiveness, he's getting to the line more than Kidd did. The primary offensive difference is in shooting 3's instead of 2's (which gives Marcus a substantial edge in shooting efficiency).

Kidd has always been this type of player, bad shooter, couldnt get to the line much, when he did he was playing 40 minutes a game and that was 5 per...

The reality is Kidd didnt really improve much stats wise in terms of those you posted.

What Kidd has is insane court vision and very good ball handler........i dont think Smart can come close to that

but the comparison is not that bad statistically, as I think Marcus can put up Jason Kidd type statistics......

Not sure if he can do it with a solid team..UNLESS he is making his teammates better. Something we all hope for.

[Celtics4ever]

I wonder sometimes if he has an "NBA Level" first step that can blow by defenders.   With the bad ankle it may be the reason and those can take a while to get better especially if your playing on it.

I think other than being athletic guys who can't shoo the lights out the Kidd comparison fails.   Marcus is a better one on one defender and Kidd has better basketball court vision and PG skills.  If he can improve his shot like Kidd did over the course of his career it will help a lot.

[celtics2030]

I wonder sometimes if he has an "NBA Level" first step that can blow by defenders.   With the bad ankle it may be the reason and those can take a while to get better especially if your playing on it.

I think other than being athletic guys who can't shoo the lights out the Kidd comparison fails.   Marcus is a better one on one defender and Kidd has better basketball court vision and PG skills.  If he can improve his shot like Kidd did over the course of his career it will help a lot.

Kidd was also a good defender too when he was younger, very good actually, and a [dang] good rebounder.

[Boris Badenov]

Just for fun here are Marcus's first-half splits and Jason Kidd's in his rookie year. Numbers are per-36 (Kidd was playing 30-35 mpg all year).

       Kidd        Smart
Pts     9.5        10.3
Reb     5.7         4.4
Ast     7.5         5.1
TO      3.2         2.1
FG%      .367        .422
3PT%     .219        .331
3PA     2.59        5.7
FT%      .659        .645
TS%      .422        .501
FTA     3.07        3.9
Stl     2.0         1.8

Interesting to note that for all the griping about Smart's aggressiveness, he's getting to the line more than Kidd did. The primary offensive difference is in shooting 3's instead of 2's (which gives Marcus a substantial edge in shooting efficiency).

Kidd has always been this type of player, bad shooter, couldnt get to the line much, when he did he was playing 40 minutes a game and that was 5 per...

The reality is Kidd didnt really improve much stats wise in terms of those you posted.

That's wrong. Kidd shot much better than those early numbers, especially as he entered his 30s.

He ended up at .400/.349/.785 for his career.

[manl_lui]

Just for fun here are Marcus's first-half splits and Jason Kidd's in his rookie year. Numbers are per-36 (Kidd was playing 30-35 mpg all year).

       Kidd        Smart
Pts     9.5        10.3
Reb     5.7         4.4
Ast     7.5         5.1
TO      3.2         2.1
FG%      .367        .422
3PT%     .219        .331
3PA     2.59        5.7
FT%      .659        .645
TS%      .422        .501
FTA     3.07        3.9
Stl     2.0         1.8

Interesting to note that for all the griping about Smart's aggressiveness, he's getting to the line more than Kidd did. The primary offensive difference is in shooting 3's instead of 2's (which gives Marcus a substantial edge in shooting efficiency).

Kidd has always been this type of player, bad shooter, couldnt get to the line much, when he did he was playing 40 minutes a game and that was 5 per...

The reality is Kidd didnt really improve much stats wise in terms of those you posted.

What Kidd has is insane court vision and very good ball handler........i dont think Smart can come close to that

but the comparison is not that bad statistically, as I think Marcus can put up Jason Kidd type statistics......

Not sure if he can do it with a solid team..UNLESS he is making his teammates better. Something we all hope for.

for a rookie, I think the energy he brings is already impressive. I think given the time, he will improve, and we should definitely keep investing in the kid. I mean he is on a rookie contract, so we'll see how much he improves over the next 2-3 years

[celtics2030]

Just for fun here are Marcus's first-half splits and Jason Kidd's in his rookie year. Numbers are per-36 (Kidd was playing 30-35 mpg all year).

       Kidd        Smart
Pts     9.5        10.3
Reb     5.7         4.4
Ast     7.5         5.1
TO      3.2         2.1
FG%      .367        .422
3PT%     .219        .331
3PA     2.59        5.7
FT%      .659        .645
TS%      .422        .501
FTA     3.07        3.9
Stl     2.0         1.8

Interesting to note that for all the griping about Smart's aggressiveness, he's getting to the line more than Kidd did. The primary offensive difference is in shooting 3's instead of 2's (which gives Marcus a substantial edge in shooting efficiency).

Kidd has always been this type of player, bad shooter, couldnt get to the line much, when he did he was playing 40 minutes a game and that was 5 per...

The reality is Kidd didnt really improve much stats wise in terms of those you posted.

That's wrong. Kidd shot much better than those early numbers, especially as he entered his 30s.

He ended up at .400/.349/.785 for his career.

He went from an attrocious D League type shooter to a very bad shooter lol.

The point is he sucked at shooting from day 1, until he became a mid old spot up shooter.

[loco_91]

not at all concerned about it. Especially as most of his shots have been 3pt attempts, you have to look at efg not overall fg% - his numbers still won't be great, but not so bad as to be concerning for a defensive-oriented rookie.

The Kidd comparison is interesting, I think you sorta have to conclude that Kidd had a bad rookie year compared with his career. Smart has been doing so many things well, it seems ridiculous to be concerned about his mediocre shooting numbers. Especially since he's been improving, and getting to the line more too. And at least he prefers bricking 3's to long 2's, it keeps his efg% afloat.

[celtics2030]

not at all concerned about it. Especially as most of his shots have been 3pt attempts, you have to look at efg not overall fg% - his numbers still won't be great, but not so bad as to be concerning for a defensive-oriented rookie.

yea the concern is not actually the percentages

its more about the ratio

[iadera]

What a stupid bet...

[dwoumn]

I wonder sometimes if he has an "NBA Level" first step that can blow by defenders.   With the bad ankle it may be the reason and those can take a while to get better especially if your playing on it.

Great point. At the moment, I don't think he has that "NBA Level" first step. With that being an issue, Smart should maybe get looks in the post because no guard is built like hi and he can easily bully some of these guards. But with Brad Stevens system, a lot of the pick and rolls lead to attack the defender off the dribble and he struggles to do that.

[droopdog7]

Shooting % has a lot less to do with shooting ability than your ability to get a good shot (or take good shots).  Dennis Rodman shot 52% for his career.  Ben Wallace shot 47%.  Shaq shot 58%.  Michael Jordan and Lebron James are at 50%. 

Having watched Smart for a bit now, he has a long way to go as an offensive player and frankly, I am not sure he will ever get there (unless he really improves his shooting).  We already know he doesn't have the handle.  But man, he looks painfully slow out there.  That is why he isn't driving, because he can't.

Shoot, last night he couldn't really drive by Jeremy Lin (though he did draw two fouls).

[Boris Badenov]

Just for fun here are Marcus's first-half splits and Jason Kidd's in his rookie year. Numbers are per-36 (Kidd was playing 30-35 mpg all year).

       Kidd        Smart
Pts     9.5        10.3
Reb     5.7         4.4
Ast     7.5         5.1
TO      3.2         2.1
FG%      .367        .422
3PT%     .219        .331
3PA     2.59        5.7
FT%      .659        .645
TS%      .422        .501
FTA     3.07        3.9
Stl     2.0         1.8

Interesting to note that for all the griping about Smart's aggressiveness, he's getting to the line more than Kidd did. The primary offensive difference is in shooting 3's instead of 2's (which gives Marcus a substantial edge in shooting efficiency).

Kidd has always been this type of player, bad shooter, couldnt get to the line much, when he did he was playing 40 minutes a game and that was 5 per...

The reality is Kidd didnt really improve much stats wise in terms of those you posted.

That's wrong. Kidd shot much better than those early numbers, especially as he entered his 30s.

He ended up at .400/.349/.785 for his career.

He went from an attrocious D League type shooter to a very bad shooter lol.

The point is he sucked at shooting from day 1, until he became a mid old spot up shooter.

Where he started is not the point, except to say that he started off worse than Smart. The point is the improvement, and you simply cannot dispute that it was substantial relative to his first half-season in the league.

As a point of comparison if Smart improves his 3pt% and 2pt% by similar amounts he'd be among the league leaders in 3pt% and shooting efficiency.

I'm not saying he'll do that, but it's happened before for someone who started out even worse. That is what I'm saying.

[Celtics4ever]

Shooting % has a lot less to do with shooting ability than your ability to get a good shot

 

Afraid, I do not concur with you.   While there is a lot to be said about taking a good shot if a guy can't it really does not matter.  Your comment is a gross oversimplification of the matter.   Good shooters can shoot and take good shots.  If it was as simple as you present them everyone would make all their shots in the three point contest.  Guys who can't shoot can't make open shots with great consistency although a good look helps everyone shoot a little better.  The best shooters can make it without a good look, in the double team with people all over them.

Shaq and Rodman shot took a lot of inside shots and the former a lot of dunks.   James does too, but Ray Allen, Jordan and Bird were all competent jump shooters.  Smart takes some ill advised shots and he lacks elite skill in this regard but has improved some at both during the course of the season.  Even if he has good looks he does not always make them at a high percentage.

[Evantime34]

I think Smart will shoot over 40%, because he will take the ball to the hoop more to end the year.

Although in the two games since the all star break he hasn't been able to find his 3 point stroke (He hasn't been jumping straight up and down, which was the early season adjustment he made to his shooting to improve his number compared to college) he has been attacking the hoop more which has resulted in more free throws.

Although these free throws don't effect his shooting percentage they indicate a willingness to drive which usually leads to more high percentage opportunities.