Has Smart Improved?

[Csfan1984]

No

[mgent]

Right, because nobody on this board ever doubted say, Rondo or Tony Allen when they were hampered with injuries, just to be proven wrong at a later date.

[Denis998]

sure

[Snakehead]

I think he has improved drastically as a PG.  Seeing the floor, making nice passes, even if they aren't the one that leads to the assist.  He doesn't get to handle the ball for pick and roll as much as other players but looks much better than last year doing it. In the OP, is brought up the advanced stats have the team better with him on the court and I think this is definitely part of why.

Also he has come alive on the boards in a way I didn't expect, especially the offensive boards.  He has his off games but I have liked his drives to the rim, especially in recent games.

I think his shooting will continue to improve.  The threes are coming down.

this dude's barely played a full season and we're already coming to conclusions??? how the hell did Olynyk survive this long???

I mean not long ago everyone was killing him all the time.  I can tell you as someone who was not.

[chambers]

Since January 20th (12 games after his return from injury) he's played in 19 games and has posted:


11 points per game
3.3 rebounds
3 assists
2 steals
38.2% FG
34.3% 3PT
88% Free Throw
in 27.5 minutes per game.

so yeah his FG% needs improvement, but his free throws are good and his 3 point attempts are okay too. I'd be happy if he finished the season out at 35% 3pt and 40% FG.
He's still missing too many bunnies around the rim, where he does a lot of hard work getting in there and then misses an easy floater or layup. I think those will come with time. (Well I hope they do).

Considering his defensive impact he's an enormous positive on the floor. He's like an elite rim protector but out on the perimeter.

[Csfan1984]

Since January 20th (12 games after his return from injury) he's played in 19 games and has posted:


11 points per game
3.3 rebounds
3 assists
2 steals
38.2% FG
34.3% 3PT
88% Free Throw
in 27.5 minutes per game.

so yeah his FG% needs improvement, but his free throws are good and his 3 point attempts are okay too. I'd be happy if he finished the season out at 35% 3pt and 40% FG.
He's still missing too many bunnies around the rim, where he does a lot of hard work getting in there and then misses an easy floater or layup. I think those will come with time. (Well I hope they do).

Considering his defensive impact he's an enormous positive on the floor. He's like an elite rim protector but out on the perimeter.

JBJ of the NBA

[PhoSita]

Right, because nobody on this board ever doubted say, Rondo or Tony Allen when they were hampered with injuries, just to be proven wrong at a later date.

Are injuries a valid for disregarding Smart has performed through his first 100 games?  It hasn't been all bad, after all.  He just hasn't looked like a future two-way star scorer type.

[PhoSita]

Since January 20th (12 games after his return from injury) he's played in 19 games and has posted:


11 points per game
3.3 rebounds
3 assists
2 steals
38.2% FG
34.3% 3PT
88% Free Throw
in 27.5 minutes per game.

This isn't radically different than his career averages.  He was ice cold coming back from injury, then was white hot for a couple weeks.  He's on the colder side of things lately.

He may just be a streaky shooter.

[alldaboston]

Makes tons of winning plays, and has shown improvement playing as a PG. But, he still has a few issues, mainly shooting. Also, often times it's as if im watching Rondo run the offense. Meaning, he gets a screen, doesn't take it, and pounds the ball for most of the shot clock. Happened in today's Miami game (although he did hit the three at the end of the possession). I'd like to see him do something on those screens more often. Drive.

[Rosco917]

Some of you don't get it, and may never. It's about that "extra gear" he has when the games on the line in the fourth quarter. It's about playing 4th quarter smothering defense on his man, clutch steals, rebounds, and tip in's.
If you notice he's ALWAYS in Coach Steve's 4th. quarter, end of game line up.

No he's not, nor will he ever be a lights out scorer, he's the guy lights out scorers love to play with.

[hwangjini_1]

this dude's barely played a full season and we're already coming to conclusions??? how the hell did Olynyk survive this long???

I'd say 100 games and close to 3000 minutes is enough time to start drawing some conclusions about a player's development and his potential for improvement.

loved your opening post, lots of good insights and research. thanks.

this statement, though, i can raise some question about. would you please analyze bradley's first 100 games and tell me if we could see his future? after 100 games he averaged around 5-6 points a game. and let's never discuss the cb thoughts after his first season. 

next in line would be crowder. first hundred games he averaged less than 5 points a game, though in 16+ minutes. everyone saw his great defense with dallas, but the book on him after 181 games was "so-so shooter" with a 3 point percentage almost identical to smart's career now.

you may be completely correct on smart. but for me, i see too small a sample size to make any bold predictions on his offense. i am hopeful, and admittedly a "glass half full" type of guy, for smart.

i agree, i havent seen anything that screams "offensive juggernaut," but i also havent seen enough to predict with confidence that he will not be an average to better than average shooter.

i am patient and will wait another couple of seasons.

[Ogaju]

Smart is developing nicely.......... the intangible he brings to the table are off the chart.

[Smartacus]

Don't know if he's improved as much as become more comfortable with how he can contribute. He's had some great games and learned some player tendencies. He is starting to realize his limitations and how to cut back on things that are outside of his wheel house.

Some times he can get in his own head and pick up bad fouls but that's probably just a side effect of his overall tenacity.

Interestingly enough he's starting to get a bad reputation with opposing fan bases. Saw this Reddit thread the other day that was started after the T Wolves beat us.

Warning NSFW Language
https://www.reddit.com/r/timberwolves/comments/474r1e/wolves_win_****_the_celtics_upvote_party/
(Sorry for the link to work you have to replace the **** with a certain four letter word)

Some highlights...

"SMART IS PATHETIC!!!!!!!!"

"Smart is in the top 3 of my least favorite NBA players."

"**** YOU, MARCUS SMART! I HOPE SOMEDAY YOU ACTUALLY GET ELBOWED IN THE JAW AND IT DOESN'T GET CALLED BECAUSE OF YOUR REPUTATION OF FLOPPING LIKE A DAVID KAHN DRAFT PICK!"

[Denis998]

Don't know if he's improved as much as become more comfortable with how he can contribute. He's had some great games and learned some player tendencies. He is starting to realize his limitations and how to cut back on things that are outside of his wheel house.

Some times he can get in his own head and pick up bad fouls but that's probably just a side effect of his overall tenacity.

Interestingly enough he's starting to get a bad reputation with opposing fan bases. Saw this Reddit thread the other day that was started after the T Wolves beat us.

Warning NSFW Language
https://www.reddit.com/r/timberwolves/comments/474r1e/wolves_win_****_the_celtics_upvote_party/
(Sorry for the link to work you have to replace the **** with a certain four letter word)

Some highlights...

"SMART IS PATHETIC!!!!!!!!"

"Smart is in the top 3 of my least favorite NBA players."

"**** YOU, MARCUS SMART! I HOPE SOMEDAY YOU ACTUALLY GET ELBOWED IN THE JAW AND IT DOESN'T GET CALLED BECAUSE OF YOUR REPUTATION OF FLOPPING LIKE A DAVID KAHN DRAFT PICK!"

I think having a bad "rep" with fans from other teams seems to be a good thing.

[Smartacus]

Don't know if he's improved as much as become more comfortable with how he can contribute. He's had some great games and learned some player tendencies. He is starting to realize his limitations and how to cut back on things that are outside of his wheel house.

Some times he can get in his own head and pick up bad fouls but that's probably just a side effect of his overall tenacity.

Interestingly enough he's starting to get a bad reputation with opposing fan bases. Saw this Reddit thread the other day that was started after the T Wolves beat us.

Warning NSFW Language
https://www.reddit.com/r/timberwolves/comments/474r1e/wolves_win_****_the_celtics_upvote_party/
(Sorry for the link to work you have to replace the **** with a certain four letter word)

Some highlights...

"SMART IS PATHETIC!!!!!!!!"

"Smart is in the top 3 of my least favorite NBA players."

"**** YOU, MARCUS SMART! I HOPE SOMEDAY YOU ACTUALLY GET ELBOWED IN THE JAW AND IT DOESN'T GET CALLED BECAUSE OF YOUR REPUTATION OF FLOPPING LIKE A DAVID KAHN DRAFT PICK!"

I think having a bad "rep" with fans from other teams seems to be a good thing.

Agreed, don't think there's been many beloved defensive stoppers.