Should Marcus Smart be our starting Small Forward?

[Evantime34]

No. Give some playing time to young or hunter. Start Turner.

agreed except i was impressed with Rozier and would play him over Rj and young.

[PhoSita]

No. Give some playing time to young or hunter. Start Turner.

agreed except i was impressed with Rozier and would play him over Rj and young.

That'd probably entail giving extra small forward minutes to Smart or Jerebko.

[clover]

The C's best players this year have been IT, Crowder, AJ, KO, and Sully. AJ is fading whether through injury or otherwise. So if/when KO is healthy--a real concern at this point--he should therefore replace AJ in the lineup.

But Smart and ET are still a good pairing as the 6th and 7th players off the bench. AJ and Jerebko become the second-line bigs. TZ and the young guys are available situationally for TZ--and for experience with the young guys. Smart and ET can play 1/2 through 2/3, so that allows for TR, for example to come in at the PG, RJH at the 2, or JY at the 3--where each has the capability of helping to spread the floor as ET, in particular, needs. Mickey should be fed a few minutes every game from here on out. All of his appearances so far suggest that he hasn't hurt the team once when he's been in there, so a couple of minutes in each half is a decent, albeit conservative, way to go with him on this home stretch.

KO being injured kind of cramps it all. But really Mickey should be seeing a few more minutes while this is the situation.

I think it is really important to understand how much more productive the offseason will be for the young guys if they each get a sufficient feeding of minutes through the end of the regular season. Sounds like TR is making his move in earning minutes, so he and Mickey, at least, should really be seeing some minutes from here on out.

[max215]

Jerebko is fine at the four, but he's pretty awful at the three. We don't have a lot of options.

[clover]

Jerebko is fine at the four, but he's pretty awful at the three. We don't have a lot of options.

Jerebko should never be forced to play at the 3 again. (Unless maybe it is against a big, slow opposing 3.)

[td450]

There are some good arguments for starting Turner instead of Smart, but size isn't one of them. Smart actually has a slightly longer wingspan than Turner, is somewhat stronger, and has the best defensive instincts in the key of any Celtic.

[tarheelsxxiii]

You obviously start Turner.

But yeah, it doesn't really matter where you play Smart... he'll be void of talent at the 1, 2, or 3... in limited or extended minutes... etc.

[alldaboston]

You obviously start Turner.

But yeah, it doesn't really matter where you play Smart... he'll be void of talent at the 1, 2, or 3... in limited or extended minutes... etc.

I agree he's not the guy we expected him to be coming out of the draft, but to say he's void of talent is taking it too far.

[mrceltics2013]

Yea right,  don't think we need such an offensive liability starting. I really don't know what you guys see in him that deserves starter caliber praise. For the wings we need points on the score board.

[max215]

Called it.

[mrceltics2013]

I called it to. He did just as horrible as I said he would. Smart DOES NOT need more reason to be camping out on the perimeter because he CANNOT SHOOT!

[alldaboston]

I called it to. He did just as horrible as I said he would. Smart DOES NOT need more reason to be camping out on the perimeter because he CANNOT SHOOT!

Agreed. He can't shoot. But did you want George going for 40 on Evan Turner? Because George basically exploited Turner today.

[crimson_stallion]

There are some good arguments for starting Turner instead of Smart, but size isn't one of them. Smart actually has a slightly longer wingspan than Turner, is somewhat stronger, and has the best defensive instincts in the key of any Celtic.

Turner is 6'7" and Smart is 6'3". 

Wingspan is nice, but it's not the only factor of size that counts. When a guy stands 4" taller, that's still a 4" taller head you need to shot/see over.

[tarheelsxxiii]

He is getting 27 MPG yet isn't making any progress, despite being on a relatively unselfish team that could really use the help (especially now).

His stats are awful: 43% from 2, 27% from 3, right at league average for WS/48, well below average PER, and 17th in RPM among PGs (probably boosted by DRPM/team play, as his DRtg isn't incredible).

Looking beyond stats, has he had a breakout of sorts? Aside from a couple good games at OKC, he hasn't even put together some really solid games that could make you think he may turn the corner. Worse, he isn't developing any consistency. Do you see Smart finding spots on the floor where he can make things happen? Is he increasing hitting a floater, or a pull-up out of PnR? I see nothing in the way of progress... nothing that a) he has had success with, and b) that he's building on.

[alldaboston]

Well, he did hit a pull-up out of a PnR today.