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

[rollie mass]

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!

bob ryan-called smart a jerk on television-its a cheap journalistic low blow to a 22 year old-i thought everybody knew who ryan was
the exact quote -there is a difference from playing hard and being a jerk-the interview is there by op

[MJohnnyboy]

I believe in Smart's potential, but if he turns out to be just a smaller Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (and hopefully not as injury-prone), then I'm fine with it. Guys like Smart and MKG may not be offensive juggernauts, but they do so many other good things for their teams.

[Boris Badenov]

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)

I think this is right.

But, Stevens is using Smart in the way that maximizes our chances to win. That means a role that might not be best for his development. Can't blame Brad for doing that.

If Smart were one of the best prospects on a terrible team, he'd be starting, playing 34 MPG and the coach would be tailoring his role and the offense far more to Smart's strengths. But on this team, our best player plays Smart's position and we want to win now, so things are different.

I for one will be a little more patient.

[D Dub]

,
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

Another TP for the best poster on the CB

[kozlodoev]

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.

That's fantastic. To be precise, he shot 19% overall from three over 5 of these games, and 48% in the other 8. Which part convinced you this was "not a random fluke"?

[kozlodoev]

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

The only reason why Turner shouldn't be brought back is if he couldn't be. If Smart can't beat out Evan Turner for a bigger role in the rotation... sorry but I'm not sorry for him.

[PhoSita]

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

The only reason why Turner shouldn't be brought back is if he couldn't be. If Smart can't beat out Evan Turner for a bigger role in the rotation... sorry but I'm not sorry for him.

I'm curious where people think development at the NBA level occurs.  People talk about practice (cue the Iverson clip) -- the young guys need to earn a bigger role off the court, in practice! 

How often do you think NBA teams get to practice?  How often do young guys really get to show something beyond their current role in practice?


Evan Turner is fine, but the team needs better (i.e. an individual scorer / ballhandler who can also operate off the ball).  The team also has plenty of young players at guard and on the wing who need development time.  Turner's gonna get $10 million + per year from somebody.  It'll make a lot of sense for the Celts to let him go and fill his minutes with cheaper younger players who need development time and an opportunity to grow into a larger role.

[ReadyFor17]

Wait, Bob Ryan called someone a jerk? Same guy who once advocated for beating a woman on TV, right?

Shame the state of sports journalism in Boston is so bad we're forced to keep over-the-hill clingers like  him and Jackie Mac around.

[Celtics18]

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.

I think that for Marcus to best maximize his potential, he needs to develop into a good combo guard.  I know it's not a popular phrase and many just take it to mean "not a very good point guard/not a very good shooting guard."  But, to be honest, I've kind of given up on him ever being top notch offensively as either an off-the-dribble creator or as an off-the-ball shooter.

I do however think he can be very valuable as an excellent defender who can guard three positions and be versatile enough offensively that he can play alongside anybody.  For example, if you put him next to a guy with Avery Bradley's skill set, he's the primary ball handler.  Playing alongside Isaiah Thomas or Evan Turner, he's more of an off the ball guy.

I know this doesn't sound that sexy for a sixth pick in the draft.  I think, though, he can be good enough at it to start at either the one or the two depending on what is needed.

It's a lot for him to be learning how to play two NBA positions at such a young age.  I think it will end up being the right move long term, though.  It seems to me that Danny and Brad feel the same way.  That's why they have him doing it.

[Evantime34]

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

The only reason why Turner shouldn't be brought back is if he couldn't be. If Smart can't beat out Evan Turner for a bigger role in the rotation... sorry but I'm not sorry for him.

I'm curious where people think development at the NBA level occurs.  People talk about practice (cue the Iverson clip) -- the young guys need to earn a bigger role off the court, in practice! 

How often do you think NBA teams get to practice?  How often do young guys really get to show something beyond their current role in practice?


Evan Turner is fine, but the team needs better (i.e. an individual scorer / ballhandler who can also operate off the ball).  The team also has plenty of young players at guard and on the wing who need development time.  Turner's gonna get $10 million + per year from somebody.  It'll make a lot of sense for the Celts to let him go and fill his minutes with cheaper younger players who need development time and an opportunity to grow into a larger role.

Development happens in the weight room and on the practice court mostly in the offseason, although if someone isn't playing a lot early in his career then hopefully they spend a lot of time in the gym working on their own game.

Turner has been good this year, but I'm fine taking a step backwards in terms of production from Turner's spot in the rotation, as long as we can allocate the funds we would have spent on him towards a top of the rotation guy.

[kozlodoev]

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

The only reason why Turner shouldn't be brought back is if he couldn't be. If Smart can't beat out Evan Turner for a bigger role in the rotation... sorry but I'm not sorry for him.

I'm curious where people think development at the NBA level occurs.  People talk about practice (cue the Iverson clip) -- the young guys need to earn a bigger role off the court, in practice! 

How often do you think NBA teams get to practice?  How often do young guys really get to show something beyond their current role in practice?


Evan Turner is fine, but the team needs better (i.e. an individual scorer / ballhandler who can also operate off the ball).  The team also has plenty of young players at guard and on the wing who need development time.  Turner's gonna get $10 million + per year from somebody.  It'll make a lot of sense for the Celts to let him go and fill his minutes with cheaper younger players who need development time and an opportunity to grow into a larger role.

I don't know whether you've noticed, but Marcus Smart is getting enough time on the floor, and has shown absolutely no indication that he is ready for a bigger role. What is it that made you think Marcus Smart will morph into an "individual scorer/ballhandler who can also operate off the ball". Also, how much better than Evan Turner does the first guy off the bench need to be?

[PhoSita]

It's a lot for him to be learning how to play two NBA positions at such a young age.  I think it will end up being the right move long term, though.  It seems to me that Danny and Brad feel the same way.  That's why they have him doing it.

I understand what you're saying and I think to a large extent you're right, that's what they're trying to do.

Like I said above, though, Smart needs to increase expand his offensive game if he's going to become a significant part of the offense, which he'll need to do if he wants a large role long term.  I don't think we can expect him to suddenly turn into a 40% shooter.  His most plausible path to offensive respectability is getting inside and finishing, not taking at least half of his attempts from beyond the arc.  He needs to have the ball in his hands more to do that.  That's not gonna happen if he continues to spend all of his time playing beside Thomas or Turner.

[kozlodoev]

It's a lot for him to be learning how to play two NBA positions at such a young age.  I think it will end up being the right move long term, though.  It seems to me that Danny and Brad feel the same way.  That's why they have him doing it.

I understand what you're saying and I think to a large extent you're right, that's what they're trying to do.

Like I said above, though, Smart needs to increase expand his offensive game if he's going to become a significant part of the offense, which he'll need to do if he wants a large role long term.  I don't think we can expect him to suddenly turn into a 40% shooter.  His most plausible path to offensive respectability is getting inside and finishing, not taking at least half of his attempts from beyond the arc.  He needs to have the ball in his hands more to do that.  That's not gonna happen if he continues to spend all of his time playing beside Thomas or Turner.

His most plausible path to offensive respectability is to develop a repeatable delivery of his jump shot and stop playing way over his head. Well, and magically acquire a quicker first step.

I'm not optimistic.

[Greyman]

Smart has a positive approach, he gives everything and opposition ball handlers must hate being defended by him most of the time. I think CBS and Smart's effort will get him over his shooting speed hump. His energy and emotions may still need some refining at times but it has to be remembered, not is he only 22 but he has been a leader of sorts almost from the time he came onto the team. This team doesn't have the old heads that offer guidance on and off the court. In many ways CBS has handled the mentoring role himself.

Rather have Smart playing with the Celtics, not against them.

[td450]

I'm sure Marcus can improve some, but things don't look good.

He showed all of the same flaws in college. He decides what he's doing early, and doesn't adjust well. His balance is poor. His shot has a huge amount of motion to it, and he has always taken too many bad shots. He's only an average passer. He can't finish with his left hand at all. The only progress I've seen is he has slowed down his dribble penetration a little, so he is a bit more under control. But even that hasn't translated to improvement, because that gets him into the teeth of the defense, and he isn't particularly clever when he gets there. He's an athlete, and a tough guy, but he's never shown much offensive promise.

You can usually tell when a player can improve. RJ Hunter is a good example. His decision making is consistently both good and quick. His balance is good. He takes shots you want him to take. He's shooting poorly, but that is a skill that can improve with practice and experience.