Smart says he still has not fully recovered from sprained ankle

[greece66]

>“It’s getting there. It’s not 100 percent,” he said of the ankle. “It’s closer than it was a couple of months ago. Just got to stay on top of it, keep working on it to get it back stronger, get it to its full potential. I’m attacking the rim a lot more, getting in the paint a little more.

“It’s still hard for me to explode off of it but I’m attacking a little more because it feels better.”

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/04/08/celtics-marcus-smart-plans-play-two-summer-leagues/9nqiSunMqEZXZKsCNY4VYL/story.html

[rollie mass]

greece nice find ,i knew that ankle wasn't still right.It takes a long time for a bad boy ankle injury,you can see KO finally just starting to test it with a reverse pivot against detroit--marcus in two leagues this summer ,this boy has some real fire in him-

[chambers]

Although it was pretty obvious to those who had watched him play in college, this is good confirmation.
Thanks for posting...TP

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

According to some of his more ardent supporters on CB, the bum ankle is hindering his offensive game ... yet somehow it's not hindering his defense. Hmmm ...

[Evantime34]

This makes me hopeful. If his inability to get to the rim/finish at the rim is being hampered by his ankle then hopefully next year we see him get to the bucket like he did in college.

To me he looks as laterally quick as he was to start the season but he doesn't look to have as much lift.

[rollie mass]

defense was much easier and more in control alot of sliding with less elevation,even with my shot knee i could play d more comfortably than offense- i thought marcus was beginning to get comfortable when he made that big block from behind,that was the type of elevation and explosiveness i had seen in his older tapes-if marcus said it and in my experience with two of those bad boy sprains it takes along time to get to 100%-are you insinuating he is making excuses

[KeepRondo]

Thank you! 

[fandrew]

Sprained ankles can take a very long time to heal. Especially if that person is running on it nearly every day, and in the way Basketball players do.

I sprained my ankle this winter slipping on some ice. I thought I had broken my ankle, the sprain was that bad. It has been nearly 3 months and my ankle is still sore. I still can't run on it very well. And I probably won't be able to feel 100% comfortable on it until around the summer. That is with minimal stress on it, and light working out.

Smart had a bad ankle sprain, with the best treatment, and has had about 4 months since he came back to play. But regardless of how much treatment he has had, he still has to do a lot of running and pivoting and jumping and shifting at speeds that are constantly increasing and decreasing. He is going to be sore. He won't be 100% until he takes some time in the offseason to heal.

[loco_91]

This is good to hear. Smart doesn't strike me as the type to make excuses - if he isn't 100% now, then next year watch out

[BigAlTheFuture]

His defense is pretty incredible for someone with a bad ankle. Or someone with a good ankle for that matter. This makes me even more excited about Smart. Hopefully he can show that aggressiveness next season and not rely on 3's so much. I'm predicting a huge jump in offensive production his sophomore season.

[saltlover]

According to some of his more ardent supporters on CB, the bum ankle is hindering his offensive game ... yet somehow it's not hindering his defense. Hmmm ...

I think its hindering his defense.  I'm sure there are times he gets beaten because he can't switch directions quickly enough.  But two things: 1) ardent supporters of Smart would generally say that he has All-NBA defense potential, and that his offense is behind his defense, so because he's so good at defense (and he is), he can still look like a viable NBA player on that end even when nursing an injury.  Secondly, the primary offensive criticism of Smart is that he doesn't penetrate well, both in quality and quantity.  I don't see why you think it irrational to believe that a significant ankle injury could impact his ability to have the burst needed to drive to the rim while not affecting (as much) his ability to make a jump shot or move laterally on defense.

But what do the kids say?  Haters gonna hate, or something like that.

[SHAQATTACK]

I had a sprain that bother ed my about one year ....it just took like 13 -14 months to completely have no side effect .  I was in my twenties, did it playing B Ball. Pickup game .   The foot kept swelling 10 months latter .

I've been saying this , since he come back....the movement was not quite right ......amazing he did as well as he has.

I remember watching Marcus leap with ease and dunk the ball...in preseason and right before he messed it up....he kinda had the Wade authority on his drives.  The injury really took his edge away , his ability to out muscle and leap people in the paint.

After the sprain he never attacked the rim for a long time .....people were going wild with impatience, oh no , bust .....he ain't no good .... ......I ve had a sprain that bad , it can have long lasting effect .as opposed to rolled ankles that heal up in a week or few days.

I bet you ll see a whole different minded player after the summer and he can get back to not having it swell or thinking about it any more.

Marcus is tuff as they come......most of us couldn't have even made it back on the court , much less play at an NBA level.    He loves contact and he plays well around the rim .  I certain he ll be killing it next year . 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

According to some of his more ardent supporters on CB, the bum ankle is hindering his offensive game ... yet somehow it's not hindering his defense. Hmmm ...

I think its hindering his defense.  I'm sure there are times he gets beaten because he can't switch directions quickly enough.  But two things: 1) ardent supporters of Smart would generally say that he has All-NBA defense potential, and that his offense is behind his defense, so because he's so good at defense (and he is), he can still look like a viable NBA player on that end even when nursing an injury.  Secondly, the primary offensive criticism of Smart is that he doesn't penetrate well, both in quality and quantity.  I don't see why you think it irrational to believe that a significant ankle injury could impact his ability to have the burst needed to drive to the rim while not affecting (as much) his ability to make a jump shot or move laterally on defense.

But what do the kids say?  Haters gonna hate, or something like that.

Putting aside your unnecessary sarcasm, I'll reiterate my point: I'm not disputing medical facts, just saying that based on my observations of Smart's more ardent supporters on CB, it seems like they're using his ankle injury as a convenient excuse for his lack of offensive production.

In other words, I'm questioning how a player with lingering effects of an ankle injury can (according to his supporters) play all facets of defense well—including leaping high to block shots (which requires explosiveness)—but be terrible on offense—not only is he not a threat to drive, he's not a threat to do much of anything on offense right now.

[SHAQATTACK]

According to some of his more ardent supporters on CB, the bum ankle is hindering his offensive game ... yet somehow it's not hindering his defense. Hmmm ...

I think its hindering his defense.  I'm sure there are times he gets beaten because he can't switch directions quickly enough.  But two things: 1) ardent supporters of Smart would generally say that he has All-NBA defense potential, and that his offense is behind his defense, so because he's so good at defense (and he is), he can still look like a viable NBA player on that end even when nursing an injury.  Secondly, the primary offensive criticism of Smart is that he doesn't penetrate well, both in quality and quantity.  I don't see why you think it irrational to believe that a significant ankle injury could impact his ability to have the burst needed to drive to the rim while not affecting (as much) his ability to make a jump shot or move laterally on defense.

But what do the kids say?  Haters gonna hate, or something like that.

Putting aside your unnecessary sarcasm, I'll reiterate my point: I'm not disputing medical facts, just saying that based on my observations of Smart's more ardent supporters on CB, it seems like they're using his ankle injury as a convenient excuse for his lack of offensive production.

In other words, I'm questioning how a player with lingering effects of an ankle injury can (according to his supporters) play all facets of defense well—including leaping high to block shots (which requires explosiveness)—but be terrible on offense—not only is he not a threat to drive, he's not a threat to do much of anything on offense right now.

Just ...smh 

[rollie mass]

you deserve a tp for that sprain-the dr told me i would have been better off breaking it--i lived off speed and first step, as well as the pull up-i love good solid technical b ball both ends,of course  there are those moves that take your breath away but i love what brad has done and trying to do-i have always been a celts fan it's all i knew but i don't where green glasses-