Yet another dissapointment in Marcus Smart thread (Bob Ryan comments)

[Evantime34]

All of his advanced numbers indicate that his team plays better with him on the court than off it, that he is in essence a net positive.

Sure his poor shooting is disappointing, but I don't think the situation is as dire as some on Celticsblog would indicate.

Since he's able to positively contribute while putting up terrible shooting numbers, if he ever simply becomes an average shooter he'll be a game changer.

This is a good article by Forsberg on Smart http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4722575/missing-the-point-marcus-smart-making-impact-despite-shooting-woes

But dismissing his offensive production based on his shooting stats alone is simply lazy. It ignores the fact that, in that same 16-game span, the Celtics are averaging 105.1 points per 100 possessions with Smart on the floor, which is 2.6 points better than Smart's offensive rating in 34 appearances before the All-Star break.

What's more, Smart's post-All-Star net rating of plus-2.7 ranks second on the team behind only Jae Crowder (plus-5.1), a player whose shoes Smart has tried to help fill while Crowder has been sidelined the past five games due to a high ankle sprain. As spectacular as All-Star Isaiah Thomas has been recently, even he's only plus-2.1 in net rating since the All-Star break.

[CapnDunks]

He seems determined not to pass up any decent look at a 3. I think better shot selection will make a difference as he matures(know when you're cold). Also, I am enough of an optimist to believe that his shooting could well improve a lot over the next few years. I'm still at least 2 seasons from ruling him out of being a future allstar. His physical tools/attitude/defense are too good.

And I totally count his attitude as a positive, on a team full of knuckleheads it would just be a liability, I like his edge on the Celtics with Brad.

That all being said, his offensive game is a huge disappointment so far. I don't see any way around that.

[Otsje P]

I'm not arguing with that, considering the fact that you have firm data to support your opinion.  I'm impressed.  It must have taken a ton of time, watching and analyzing every single shot that Marcus Smart takes, to carefully derive that 1 in 10 number that you came up with.

I guess that's why we are lucky to have professional shooting coaches like you around here as opposed to mere amateurs like me.

Hmm. Guess I had that coming.

Your right, it's just a different opinion.

It didn't take a ton of time actually, as I'm pretty sure I have watched every game Marcus played in a Celtics shirt. Analyzing technique's is a hobby of mine, and I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about.

But I understand you trusting your own eyes, just as I do. I shouldn't have made my statement as definitive as I did.

I am quite sure Marcus his flaws (as I see them) can be corrected without to much trouble. This is quite frustrating as you would think a professional organization as the Celtics would take care of that.   

[feckless]

Marcus's poor shooting is fed by his choices, both shooting and passing-when it comes to his offense Marcus Smart is anything but smart.  Will he ever go beyond Tony Allen- can anyone ever trust a team to him.

Terry Rozier is at least trying to make the right decision when he is on the floor.  Marcus only wants to be the hero - he shows very little sense of team, you get the feeling that his basketball IQ is to play for his own glory.

I'm sorry but that is just a flat-out stupid thing to say.

I stand by my position that Marcus on offense wants to go it alone.  His shot selection alone demonstrates that he is a self oriented, hero ball, guard.  Even when he passes the ball it it is for the home run - glory pass --tell me how he tries to fit into the team system - on offense.  How many bad shots per game does he take?  And when he makes a shot don't you say to yourself that's not a good thing because now he will force more shots?

[Dino Pitino]

Smart's return to poor shooting is definitely disappointing, but only in the sense of having to wait longer to see him become a consistent good shooter. No one should be permanently declaring him a bad shooter. His stretch of great shooting this season was not a random fluke. It was a clear demonstration of potential. He's still figuring things out. He'll get it soon enough.

I'm curious what qualifies for a "stretch of great shooting" in your mind. Marcus Smart make 40% from the field for a month. Heck, he is yet to shoot 45% in three consecutive games this season.... or any season, for that matter.

I'm guessing the "great stretch" is February, when he managed to simply be not completely awful from three (.327) -- yet somehow still stay below 40% from the field. Low bars, I guess.

Dividing stretches according to month names is arbitrary. Just as valid is to take any dozen or so consecutive games, regardless of the calendar. In the 13 games between 1/24 and 2/21, Smart shot 40.9% from three on over 5 attempts per game and 76.2% from the line on over 3 attempts per game. His TS% in that stretch was about...57.2%, which is pretty great for a guard, especially for him. If it helps you take that stretch seriously, just pretend when you're looking up his splits that there's an intermediate month called Jabruary or something.

[Tr1boy]

look at the way CBS is using him

Smart is a PG and has always been used to handling the ball. He performs better as a ball handler

You expect him to be a spot up shooter and you will get an inconsistent performer

I would like to see Turner not brought back and Smart given a chance to run the show with complete confidence

Or a Smart/Rozier backcourt that will share the ball handling duties (both can also play SG at times)

[PhoSita]

Dividing stretches according to month names is arbitrary. Just as valid is to take any dozen or so consecutive games, regardless of the calendar.

Valid points.

I think we've got to see a stretch of 30-40 games, i.e. a significant chunk of a season, before we can feel confident about what Smart can do long term.


What we know right now is that through almost a season and a half worth of games in his young career, Smart is a 35% shooter overall, and 30% from three, with about half his career attempts coming from three point land.

I feel like I've been saying this forever, but if Smart can get to the line more (he gets there a few times a game this season, which is not bad) and increase the number of shots he takes in the paint so that his three point attempts are more like a third of his overall shot attempts, that could be a sustainable way for him to achieve offensive respectability. 

The increase in free throw attempts this year is encouraging in that regard.  I'm losing hope that he'll get to where he needs to be in terms of getting inside and finishing.

[rollie mass]

,
play the rookies what a joke-marcus probably has a total of a year un injured, and the first year was a merry go round of players and tha lingering high ankle sprain was so severe he was carted off
its his shot selection ,its now his getting to the hoop before it was he didn't-well this is on the job training and you guys don't like it
 last week there was no crowder ,no jerebko and kelly just back
 smart trying to pick up the scoring while guarding out of position the best of the best-
this is a 2nd year guard who plays with emotion'grabbing his junk is no different to young kids than flippin the bird-just watch any music video or the celtic dancers--all he did was visualize his disgust with referees
calling a 22 kid a jerk on television was just as bad as marcus grabbing his junk-you owe the kid an apology and you didn't even get fined and your old and you should know better and you wouldn't talk like that man to man and you want cousins-iwas 16 and scored on cousy the next time i got a elbow to the kidney that had me pizzin blood and hospitalized for a week just a normal nba response-smart may have made a mistake but it wasn't a cheap shot like yours

[PhoSita]

I would like to see Turner not brought back and Smart given a chance to run the show with complete confidence

I agree.  I think in order for Smart to improve his all around offensive game (i.e. not just taking a lot of three pointers) and get into a better rhythm as a shooter, he needs to be given a chance at a role where he runs the offense for at least 15-20 minutes a night, not doing spot duty as he is now.

Smart has shown some improvement as a pick and roll ballhandler this season.  I'd like to see more of what he can do in that role.

[rollie mass]

to call a 22 year old kid a jerk on television,
in the meantime you will drive to new york to pick up cousins
marcus visualized his disgust and anger at ref's
he had to guard out of position three of best players in league no crowder no jerebko and a portion of kelly
get grip ryan-your old, you should know better,hiding behind your press credentials to attack a 22 year old doing the best he can that reacted in heat of moment-unlike you cold calculated verbal attack

[Tr1boy]

I would like to see Turner not brought back and Smart given a chance to run the show with complete confidence

I agree.  I think in order for Smart to improve his all around offensive game (i.e. not just taking a lot of three pointers) and get into a better rhythm as a shooter, he needs to be given a chance at a role where he runs the offense for at least 15-20 minutes a night, not doing spot duty as he is now.

Smart has shown some improvement as a pick and roll ballhandler this season.  I'd like to see more of what he can do in that role.

if people forget too, Smart did much better as a starter last season + AB

just being able to touch the ball for a longer amount of time, he got a better feel on the offensive game

It was not bad once he went to the bench bc he still got to handle to ball. But once Turner went from starting to bench, it went downhill on the offensive end for Smart

[hwangjini_1]

rollie, i have to ask, what are you talking about? i have no idea who or what "ryan" is. background or a link please.

[CelticPride2016]

Marcus shot 1-11, but I've seen Isaiah have a handful of those. Most young players also seem to have deer in headlight syndrome with shooting. James Young had it. Avery had it. Kelly Olynyk took some time to become consistent, but he is a natural shooter. Crowder has gone from shooting bricks to hitting shots. Evan Turner adjusted his threes and one or two went in.

The bottom line is we are a better team than not when Smart plays. Tony Allen turned into a very good player, not a 15-20 minute guy. I bet Marcus Smart is a much better defender at his position as Tony is and it's only his second year.

If Marcus Smart plays Hall of Fame defense, that means he doesn't have to be better than average or hidden on offense. He can dribble. He can drive to the hoop like Dwyane Wade. He can shoot well at times. He can hit his free throws.

Maybe people should sit back and let young players have more time before they are condemned as scrubs or busted drafted picks.

Bob Ryan looks awful for 70. Maybe he is sick.

I got the impression from those guys that if Marcus had been decent on offense, they wouldn't have labeled him as a jerk. They would be talking about Smart's swagger on offense.

It's not fair to pick one or two games and condemn a player. Evan Turner was dreadful in a game or two, then he was back to who he is. Kelly is shaking off rust.

DinoPitino is correct that the negativity in this town sucks.

[apc]

rollie, i have to ask, what are you talking about? i have no idea who or what "ryan" is. background or a link please.

a Classic Rollie!

[Donoghus]

I merged the two threads together.  There was really no need to have two separate threads on the same story.