How does Marcus fit in when he comes back?

[dreamgreen]

With the current state of the NBA you need guys that can shoot 3's and this is a problem for Smart at this point in his development and on this team. KO is the only stretch big we have, Crowder is shooting better lately but I still don't trust him, Turner can't hit a 3 for all the money in the world! This is why IT and AB have bee so good together because they help space the floor and are deep ball threats at all times. If you have Smart in there he has to play with KO, because KO will open the floor for others while Smart and any other bigs do not.

You need 3 three point threats on the floor at all times in all reality, this is why Young has been getting minutes and why Hunter did when he was healthy.

As far as trading Smart, sure if we can upgrade talent I'd do it or anyone else on the team. I'm not giving him away in a bad deal to help a log jam out. He's young and will continue to get better, maybe 20 minutes a game will be good for him right now and don't count out some real small ball either.

[Celtics4ever]

When Bradley was coming off the bench this team had some of its most quality wins.

Really, I think our most quality games have been this road trip and recent games.

[SHAQATTACK]

Would be good to have him back on Tuesday

[34truth]

Trade Smart..resign Thomas long term..problem solved

I've been having this conversation with friends recently and my take leans more and more towards trading Marcus.
IT and AB are arguably playing the best basketball of any backcourt in the NBA (outside of Northern California), and both should be considered for the all star game. Turner is giving us the spark that IT once did off the bench.. Yes Smart's defense would be great but between AB, JC and AJ our defense is already stout, and like others already said Turner and Marcus don't mesh well on the court.
Trade Marcus now for a bigger need, and IMO that would be a game changing 3, which is what I think we were lacking vs GS.. Thomas did not have what it takes with the game on the line, we need someone who does.
My ideal move would be Smart, Lee and the Brooklyn pick to Utah for Gordon Hayward but I'm sure that would be debated around here... And more importantly, I doubt Utah would do it.

Agree 100%. When he went down I predicted the Celtics would play better without him, because what was holding us back were mostly those awful offensive droughts that seem to have gone away for the most part. Marcus just plays way too many minutes. In my opinion he's had a slightly worse season than Turner so far, So he's our 4th best guard and get's treated as if he's number 1

[34truth]

Yes Turner can't hit a 3. No, he doesn't shoot 2 or 3 a game and stands still for the rest of the offensive posession not even thinking about going to the rim. He's at least very active in terms of wanting the ball, wanting to drive, make a play. I feel like Smart just feels like he can play one side of the ball and the other ocasionally. I don't see how he's better than Tony Allen at this point

[34truth]

Defensive specialist off the bench. He would have helped against curry.

That sounds so much better than the role they wanted him to play.

[ssspence]

Trade Marcus for a rim protector, if there's a deal out there. I'd inquire about a Smart for Noel swap.

[Rosco917]

IT is not the point guard on a contending team. In a 7 game series he would be exposed and taken advantage of over and over. I personally like him off the bench, using him for moderately short spurts of energy. When the opposing team begins taking advantage of him defensively, sit him down.

When Smart comes back, I don't care who starts, they should share the minutes, Smarts defense is a valuable weapon, his offense will come along, he's still a 21 year old kid. Remember Bradley when he was 21?

[ssspence]

IT is not the point guard on a contending team. In a 7 game series he would be exposed and taken advantage of over and over. I personally like him off the bench, using him for moderately short spurts of energy. When the opposing team begins taking advantage of him defensively, sit him down.

When Smart comes back, I don't care who starts, they should share the minutes, Smarts defense is a valuable weapon, his offense will come along, he's still a 21 year old kid. Remember Bradley when he was 21?

I like Smart and have high hopes for him, but he's not a PG. So the point about 'starting PG on a contending team' is kinda moot.

I think he can be a match up nightmare off the bench, a defensive specialist as LarBrd33 puts it -- if that's how the Cs choose to use him -- but I don't see him as a go to player on a contending team either. So you need to solve your IT4 issue another way.

[GreenWarrior]

I think the "success" of IT and Bradley is overblown. what happened to the "greatest defensive backcourt in the league" and all that talk?

I think IT should be sent back to the bench. he's still better as a sixth man. Smart's intangibles are way more valuable than the 20 IT scores and the scrambling the D has to go through to make up for his inability to defend.

[littleteapot]

I think we should go back to the Thomas/Smart starting backcourt.

[jambr380]

I think the "success" of IT and Bradley is overblown. what happened to the "greatest defensive backcourt in the league" and all that talk?

I think IT should be sent back to the bench. he's still better as a sixth man. Smart's intangibles are way more valuable than the 20 IT scores and the scrambling the D has to go through to make up for his inability to defend.

Yeah, I mean I don't think IT is totally overrated or anything, but the board was about to blow up when we were losing games without Smart. He is more than a defensive role player - that is just Lar ruffling some feathers (he still gives the edge to Smart over Randle and the words 'role player' don't come up anywhere in his description of him).

But I would explore options at trading him for a superb 'rim protector' or a do-it-all SF. Crowder and Turner are fine at the guard spots and at least one of our big guys would be gone in a trade (along with Smart) for a center. I love Smart's intangibles and attitude on the court - he deserves a lot of credit for the new identity of this team.

[dreamgreen]

IT is not the point guard on a contending team. In a 7 game series he would be exposed and taken advantage of over and over. I personally like him off the bench, using him for moderately short spurts of energy. When the opposing team begins taking advantage of him defensively, sit him down.

When Smart comes back, I don't care who starts, they should share the minutes, Smarts defense is a valuable weapon, his offense will come along, he's still a 21 year old kid. Remember Bradley when he was 21?

I agree with this.

Others want their rim protector even though that myth has been laid to rest. Others want that PG that makes everyone better but usually that means a ball dominating player. That wont work or needed on a team that moves the ball around creating open shots, playing team ball!

We do need a PP that can take over a game, that can create when teams lock down on us but what team doesn't?

[hwangjini_1]

Bench him, don't mess with team chemistry.

Chemistry is not the issue.  When Bradley was coming off the bench this team had some of its most quality wins.

I would only be concerned with hampering Bradley at this point, because he is playing superb and I don't want that to stop.  I would be fine with IT coming off the bench again.

perhaps and i would not be surprised if this were the case since smart if a very good basketball player. but would you please explain what you mean by "quality win" and then provide some evidence to back up this claim.

thanks.

[hwangjini_1]

IT is not the point guard on a contending team. In a 7 game series he would be exposed and taken advantage of over and over. I personally like him off the bench, using him for moderately short spurts of energy. When the opposing team begins taking advantage of him defensively, sit him down.

When Smart comes back, I don't care who starts, they should share the minutes, Smarts defense is a valuable weapon, his offense will come along, he's still a 21 year old kid. Remember Bradley when he was 21?

I like Smart and have high hopes for him, but he's not a PG. So the point about 'starting PG on a contending team' is kinda moot.

I think he can be a match up nightmare off the bench, a defensive specialist as LarBrd33 puts it -- if that's how the Cs choose to use him -- but I don't see him as a go to player on a contending team either. So you need to solve your IT4 issue another way.

but dont we already know that CBS does not think this way interms of player positions? he doesnt focus on pg/sf/pf etc. rather, he sees the game as being played by ball handlers, etc.

smart fits with that scheme.