Help Fix Smart's Offensive Game

[ssspence]

You would need to hand over the pg spot to him, exclusively. That means trading IT and ET and possibly AB because Smart should be defending the other teams pg.

We'd need to trade all three for Marcus to start making an impact on offense? So he might become half as good offensively as IT is alone? That seems like a little much.

Here's an idea: why not post him up against weaker guards. If he can't get to the basket facing up (and i think it's pretty scary that he can't), let him get to the line by using his strength.

[slamtheking]

You would need to hand over the pg spot to him, exclusively. That means trading IT and ET and possibly AB because Smart should be defending the other teams pg.

If he gets more reps then he will get better.

considering you're an unabashed advocate for tanking, this recommendation doesn't surprise me.

[manl_lui]

I think the problem isn't entirely on Smart. I don't think Brad Stevens uses him enough on the offensive end, and for good reason most of the time. He isn't entirely a good 3 point shooter, with a horrid 20%, down from 33% from last season, but probably also due to him being injured for 18 games. If I were to fix his offensive problems, I'd try to incorporate him whenever there is a mismatch on the guard defending Smart, and have him post up. I find him quite successful when posting against pg, say CP3, or Russell Westbrook. And second, I'd try to run him a couple of screens and get him wide open in the free throw range or the key area, sort of what Bradley does a lot of times. And lastly, I'd like to give him the green light to drive more. I find him extremely strong when taking it to the basket. Probably it's still the injury that is lingering that is causing him to drive less, but I do like to see that more.

[Tr1boy]

I think the problem isn't entirely on Smart. I don't think Brad Stevens uses him enough on the offensive end, and for good reason most of the time. He isn't entirely a good 3 point shooter, with a horrid 20%, down from 33% from last season, but probably also due to him being injured for 18 games. If I were to fix his offensive problems, I'd try to incorporate him whenever there is a mismatch on the guard defending Smart, and have him post up. I find him quite successful when posting against pg, say CP3, or Russell Westbrook. And second, I'd try to run him a couple of screens and get him wide open in the free throw range or the key area, sort of what Bradley does a lot of times. And lastly, I'd like to give him the green light to drive more. I find him extremely strong when taking it to the basket. Probably it's still the injury that is lingering that is causing him to drive less, but I do like to see that more.

Smart needs to forget the 3 right now (unless wide open or corner 3s) and refine his mid range game. Dribble stop and pop/floaters

[The One]

Keep grinding...don't give up...thankfully we know he won't...he's a warrior.

1. Trade Turner...I like him a lot but it's time to give those minutes to Marcus.

2. Give Marcus the keys to the offense and have him drive and dish and repeat.  Have I.T. as the shooting guard offensively.

3. Bradley off the bench.

My thoughts anyway...

[droopdog7]

Has anyone witnessed with their own two eyes whether smart is even a good post up player?  I know why people say it; he big for a pg.  I just have seen no evidence its in his game at all.

[ssspence]

Has anyone witnessed with their own two eyes whether smart is even a good post up player?  I know why people say it; he big for a pg.  I just have seen no evidence its in his game at all.

Nope -- just looking for answers. It's more about skill, less about raw talent. Could he learn to?

[manl_lui]

Has anyone witnessed with their own two eyes whether smart is even a good post up player?  I know why people say it; he big for a pg.  I just have seen no evidence its in his game at all.

Nope -- just looking for answers. It's more about skill, less about raw talent. Could he learn to?

I have, I don't have videos but from a lot of games I watched where he posted up, he has control. I remember when Rondo tried to post, he sometimes does do it with success but more often he is off balanced.

Smart on the other hand, as you said is big for a pg, and when I see him post, he does it easily. And he does it against Westbrook, I saw him do it against Conley, Lee, and CP3. The times I've seen him do it, I want to say it results in either a successful layup, or a dish out to a wide open man

[Evantime34]

Has anyone witnessed with their own two eyes whether smart is even a good post up player?  I know why people say it; he big for a pg.  I just have seen no evidence its in his game at all.

When I have time later I'll try to find some clips, but my opinion from watching the game is that when Smart gets the ball in the post good things happen. More often than not Smart posting up doesn't result in him scoring but it causes the defense to rotate which creates open shots for other players.

His points per possession on posts us is similar to (within .05) that of Sullinger, Porzingis, Drummond, Anthony Davis, Taj Gibson and Tristan Thompson. While he is more efficient in the post than Paul George, Noel, and Draymond Green.

http://stats.nba.com/playtype/#!/post-up/?PT=player&OD=offensive&sort=PPP&dir=1

[Rosco917]

It's easy to see Marcus has no idea where his scoring opportunities are. He's desperately trying to find just where his niche is. IMO He looks lost on the offensive end a lot of the time.

I agree with some of the above suggestions, of working on finding open mid-range shots off the dribble, where he can better square up, laying off the off balance 3's just because he's "kind of" open, and please pass out, when challenged by 3 players at the rim, instead of forcing it up.

I'm not 100% sure he will not be a Point Guard just yet, I know one thing, the more I hear him interviewed I realize he's really still very immature.

[showtime]

Has anyone witnessed with their own two eyes whether smart is even a good post up player?  I know why people say it; he big for a pg.  I just have seen no evidence its in his game at all.

  He didn't post in college, he hasn't posted up in the pros, if he could post I think Brad Stevens would have him posting!!  Not in his game.

[Evantime34]

Has anyone witnessed with their own two eyes whether smart is even a good post up player?  I know why people say it; he big for a pg.  I just have seen no evidence its in his game at all.

  He didn't post in college, he hasn't posted up in the pros, if he could post I think Brad Stevens would have him posting!!  Not in his game.

He's not posting up a ton right now but everything you just said is hyperbole. This year he is only posting up slightly more than once every other game but that does mean he is posting up. Not sure where to find the numbers for post ups in college but if you look at his draft express video his ability to post up was mentioned. He absolutely posted up a lot more in college than in the pros.

[droopdog7]

My goodness gracious.  Those have to be some of be some of the worse offenisve numbers I have ever seen.  Downright disrespectful of the game.

Marcus' problem won't be fixed with advice.  His issue is he has below average basketball skills in facets of offensive basketball.  That isn't going to be fixed with a talking.  That isn't even going to be fixed with hard work.  Mostly that will not change regardless of what he does.

Disrespectful? Smart has a great work ethic, he'll get better with time.

Here is another supposed truth with no real substance behind it.  Who says smart is an especially hard worker; harder than the average player?  Easy to say.  Whether true or not who the heck knows.

[Evantime34]

My goodness gracious.  Those have to be some of be some of the worse offenisve numbers I have ever seen.  Downright disrespectful of the game.

Marcus' problem won't be fixed with advice.  His issue is he has below average basketball skills in facets of offensive basketball.  That isn't going to be fixed with a talking.  That isn't even going to be fixed with hard work.  Mostly that will not change regardless of what he does.

Disrespectful? Smart has a great work ethic, he'll get better with time.

Here is another supposed truth with no real substance behind it.  Who says smart is an especially hard worker; harder than the average player?  Easy to say.  Whether true or not who the heck knows.

Google Marcus Smart hard work. There are pages and pages of articles with beat writers saying Marcus Smart is a hard worker.

Here is a quote from Stevens himself

"I see the daily work that he puts in, so he’s getting better,” Stevens said Tuesday night before the Celtics’ open practice for season ticket holders at TD Garden.

Here is a quote from Danny Ainge

“You’ve got to put in the time and the work, and Marcus is putting in the work,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.

Here is a quote from James Harden

“Good hands. Good feet. Starting to shoot the ball a lot better. He’s getting a lot better. I’m sure he works extremely hard. I saw him this past summer with USA Basketball and he looked really good.”

Quote from the beat writer of his college team

Smart’s never going to be a guy who gets his paycheck and becomes satisfied. He works on his game like crazy, so maybe his shot will get better, but his whole game will get better, too, because of the way he works. Number one, he wants to win and that will always be, I think, at the top of the list for him.”

[trickybilly]

My goodness gracious.  Those have to be some of be some of the worse offenisve numbers I have ever seen.  Downright disrespectful of the game.

Marcus' problem won't be fixed with advice.  His issue is he has below average basketball skills in facets of offensive basketball.  That isn't going to be fixed with a talking.  That isn't even going to be fixed with hard work.  Mostly that will not change regardless of what he does.

Disrespectful? Smart has a great work ethic, he'll get better with time.

Here is another supposed truth with no real substance behind it.  Who says smart is an especially hard worker; harder than the average player?  Easy to say.  Whether true or not who the heck knows.

Google Marcus Smart hard work. There are pages and pages of articles with beat writers saying Marcus Smart is a hard worker.

Here is a quote from Stevens himself

"I see the daily work that he puts in, so he’s getting better,” Stevens said Tuesday night before the Celtics’ open practice for season ticket holders at TD Garden.

Here is a quote from Danny Ainge

“You’ve got to put in the time and the work, and Marcus is putting in the work,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.

Here is a quote from James Harden

“Good hands. Good feet. Starting to shoot the ball a lot better. He’s getting a lot better. I’m sure he works extremely hard. I saw him this past summer with USA Basketball and he looked really good.”

Quote from the beat writer of his college team

Smart’s never going to be a guy who gets his paycheck and becomes satisfied. He works on his game like crazy, so maybe his shot will get better, but his whole game will get better, too, because of the way he works. Number one, he wants to win and that will always be, I think, at the top of the list for him.”

Great post.