Marcus Smart-Slowly But Surely Growing

[Eja117]

This may just be me but I used to worry Smart would warrant some sort of huge contract and it would be tough to keep this team together. I don't worry about Smart any more. To me he is clearly not an NBA all star any time soon, and may max out in a sort of Avery Bradley type territory. To me at most you look at how much money the best 6th man is making and pay him less than that. Smart has just not taken that step towards greatness. He's taken it towards goodness.

This MUST be a record for a first reply bump to a thread. Over one year from the OP. How did Eja even find the post? What made it memorable?

I used the search function and looked for "Marcus Smart"

[rochrist]

There's always a mixed crowd when it comes to the guy. Being at the game tonight, I saw something different about him than last year. Between his body language and the way he communicates,  he seems to be getting more and more comfortable with the game. Remember that article a while back that compared him to James Harden? His ball handling tonight was beginning to remind me of him a little bit. And he's changing his speed a little bit more now. More hesitation. Little more start and stop rather than full on chugging along at 100 mph. Sure, he won't be a 15-20 ppg guy this year, maybe not even next year. But look at that passing, that rebounding, and tenacious defense. I think with how he's improving, he'll be in Boston for a while.

And his shot hasn't improved one iota in three years.

[td450]

I think he's headed in the other direction. He lucked out that AB missed a third of the season and Terry Rozier had a disappointing year. It's hard to believe, but Rozier somehow turned out to be almost as bad a shooter as Marcus.

I would say his best chance its to hope that we make a major trade. If we draft Fultz or Ball, and don't trade Jaylen, he's going to have to live with playing at most 15-20 minutes per night.

[spikelovetheCelts]

I think he's headed in the other direction. He lucked out that AB missed a third of the season and Terry Rozier had a disappointing year. It's hard to believe, but Rozier somehow turned out to be almost as bad a shooter as Marcus.

I would say his best chance its to hope that we make a major trade. If we draft Fultz or Ball, and don't trade Jaylen, he's going to have to live with playing at most 15-20 minutes per night.

Smart is more than  a 15-20 minute player. His shot is coming around. He needs to post up more is the big issue for him. He needs to Lead to instead of letting IT do it. His will is bigger than most players and that means something. He will work on his shot to improve his game to the next level.

[rochrist]

I think he's headed in the other direction. He lucked out that AB missed a third of the season and Terry Rozier had a disappointing year. It's hard to believe, but Rozier somehow turned out to be almost as bad a shooter as Marcus.

I would say his best chance its to hope that we make a major trade. If we draft Fultz or Ball, and don't trade Jaylen, he's going to have to live with playing at most 15-20 minutes per night.

Smart is more than  a 15-20 minute player. His shot is coming around. He needs to post up more is the big issue for him. He needs to Lead to instead of letting IT do it. His will is bigger than most players and that means something. He will work on his shot to improve his game to the next level.

How is his shot coming around? He's got a worse FG% now than he did three years ago.

[More Banners]

I see him as the odd guy out. I don't see resigning him, given the other deals coming up.

[PickNRoll]

It's silly all the ways people dissect Smart's game.  He's a WINNING basketball player.  He went through a horrible funk for about 15-20 games but seems like he might've snapped out of it recently.  I'm not even talking about his shooting, which is always subpar, just that he wasn't making as many Marcus Smart plays.  A quick look at the +/- will almost always tell you if Smart had a good game.  For most of the year, he was right behind Crowder and seemed to be tops in +/- almost every night.  He had a rough stretch starting in about mid-FEB tho.

[Tr1boy]

I see him as the odd guy out. I don't see resigning him, given the other deals coming up.

Same here.. everyone has been patient

his defense can't save his ridiculous FG percentage...stop shooting

If he is willing to accept a discount (8 million a season) to be a defensive specialist (with a trickle of hope his FG will improve) ...thats fine.

[Tr1boy]

It's silly all the ways people dissect Smart's game.  He's a WINNING basketball player.  He went through a horrible funk for about 15-20 games but seems like he might've snapped out of it recently.  I'm not even talking about his shooting, which is always subpar, just that he wasn't making as many Marcus Smart plays.  A quick look at the +/- will almost always tell you if Smart had a good game.  For most of the year, he was right behind Crowder and seemed to be tops in +/- almost every night.  He had a rough stretch starting in about mid-FEB tho.

Lets conclude this after the playoffs..

[Eja117]

I see him as the odd guy out. I don't see resigning him, given the other deals coming up.

Same here.. everyone has been patient

his defense can't save his ridiculous FG percentage...stop shooting

If he is willing to accept a discount (8 million a season) to be a defensive specialist (with a trickle of hope his FG will improve) ...thats fine.

This is kinda how I see it. Smart is sorta a fun guy to watch and I wouldn't put him in the same category of Kelly O by any means but he is nowhere near the reason this team wins. Rozier can do a ton of what he does for less money.

If Smart was a Patriot he'd be Blount or Patrick Chung or Matt Slater or something. Good player that people like but absolutely replaceable.

[SHAQATTACK]

Long way to catch Simmons tho

[Tr1boy]

I see him as the odd guy out. I don't see resigning him, given the other deals coming up.

Same here.. everyone has been patient

his defense can't save his ridiculous FG percentage...stop shooting

If he is willing to accept a discount (8 million a season) to be a defensive specialist (with a trickle of hope his FG will improve) ...thats fine.

This is kinda how I see it. Smart is sorta a fun guy to watch and I wouldn't put him in the same category of Kelly O by any means but he is nowhere near the reason this team wins. Rozier can do a ton of what he does for less money.

If Smart was a Patriot he'd be Blount or Patrick Chung or Matt Slater or something. Good player that people like but absolutely replaceable.

yes

and you will see in the playoffs hows "unguarded" he will be....   Things will be intense but he won't be heavily guarded on purpose.... can he make the open shot??   

If he can't... he should be labelled as a  defensive specialist/energy player

[Eja117]

It's silly all the ways people dissect Smart's game.  He's a WINNING basketball player.  He went through a horrible funk for about 15-20 games but seems like he might've snapped out of it recently.  I'm not even talking about his shooting, which is always subpar, just that he wasn't making as many Marcus Smart plays.  A quick look at the +/- will almost always tell you if Smart had a good game.  For most of the year, he was right behind Crowder and seemed to be tops in +/- almost every night.  He had a rough stretch starting in about mid-FEB tho.

Well let's see if this team wins in the playoffs. Smart has tons of help, right? A healthy Avery. A first teamer in IT. Great rookie with Jaylen. Good big man with Horford. A third team all defender with Crowder.  Best coach in the league

If he's such a great defender that's great. Put him on the other team's best guy and lets see how this all goes.

But if we lose in the 2nd round don't tell me how he's such a winner.

[Ilikesports17]

It's silly all the ways people dissect Smart's game.  He's a WINNING basketball player.  He went through a horrible funk for about 15-20 games but seems like he might've snapped out of it recently.  I'm not even talking about his shooting, which is always subpar, just that he wasn't making as many Marcus Smart plays.  A quick look at the +/- will almost always tell you if Smart had a good game.  For most of the year, he was right behind Crowder and seemed to be tops in +/- almost every night.  He had a rough stretch starting in about mid-FEB tho.

Well let's see if this team wins in the playoffs. Smart has tons of help, right? A healthy Avery. A first teamer in IT. Great rookie with Jaylen. Good big man with Horford. A third team all defender with Crowder.  Best coach in the league

If he's such a great defender that's great. Put him on the other team's best guy and lets see how this all goes.

But if we lose in the 2nd round don't tell me how he's such a winner.

this logic doesnt make much sense.

[Ilikesports17]

I see him as the odd guy out. I don't see resigning him, given the other deals coming up.

Same here.. everyone has been patient

his defense can't save his ridiculous FG percentage...stop shooting

If he is willing to accept a discount (8 million a season) to be a defensive specialist (with a trickle of hope his FG will improve) ...thats fine.

This is kinda how I see it. Smart is sorta a fun guy to watch and I wouldn't put him in the same category of Kelly O by any means but he is nowhere near the reason this team wins. Rozier can do a ton of what he does for less money.

If Smart was a Patriot he'd be Blount or Patrick Chung or Matt Slater or something. Good player that people like but absolutely replaceable.

yes

and you will see in the playoffs hows "unguarded" he will be....   Things will be intense but he won't be heavily guarded on purpose.... can he make the open shot??   

If he can't... he should be labelled as a  defensive specialist/energy player

last year he was quite good in the playoffs.

carried us to a game 4 win and made some big shots and plays in a few of the other 5 games.