Marcus Smart can't develop properly with IT

[tarheelsxxiii]

This is a pretty weak and far-reaching argument.  What about merit?  Has he earned PT at the PG position? If he wasn't a rock of a defender (and a former #6), he would be riding the pine heading into year 3. That's rough.

I hope he makes me eat crow and can get on board more easily with the argument that we need to be a little more patient with him... but he should play PG? That'd be ignoring the fact that he can't dribble, lacks a first step, can't penetrate. His ability to create is so limited because of these factors... and they aren't easily rectifiable (if at all).

[crimson_stallion]

IT should really be coming off the bench. But cbs looks like, will punish those that go down in injuries and reward players that may do well as temporary replacements

IT is a nice offensive "weapon" but Smart has the tools to be an even better two way player

I get that Smart needs to step up, make his open shots etc. But what about IT ? He goes 5-15, 7-22. It doesnt matter

Iam a fan of IT dont get me wrong and like him in the lineul. But as a 6th man.

So the question is ,is CBS punish/reward system unfair for Smart(limit progression) or has IT really leapfrogged Smart (though inefficient on the offensive end, late in games does not involve teammates?)

Isaiah Thomas is starting at PG because he is our best player.  He's better then Marcus Smart right now, and he's probably better then Marcus Smart will ever be.

He's also starting because the Celtics are extremely limited offensively, and because aside from Turner, Thomas happens to be the only guy on the roster who could create offense.  With Turner gone, he's now THE only guy who can.

Stick him on the bench and our starting 5 cannot score - which is exactly what was happening when we were starting Smart and Bradley.

That's really all there is to it.

However, there is a simple solution for this if you feel so strongly about Smart being held back.  Trade him to the 76ers for Okafor or Noel - he'll get plenty of time to develop in Philly.

[iadera]

Smart is not a point guard.

Finally, someone!

[greece66]

@triboy16f

I really don't see how playing IT has anything to do with Smart's development. If we did not have IT, we would still need a starting PG, Smart cannot fill this role.

Also, I do not get why people still insist that IT should be a sixth man; he was an All Star last season, give him some credit.

[trickybilly]

Smart is not a point guard.

Finally, someone!

Not all PGs are like Rondo, Mo Williams, Westbrook.

Marcus passing is great, and his handle and vision are still improving.

[BornReady]

Smart is not a point guard.

Finally, someone!

Smart is a combo guard
But would be more classified as a SG rather than a PG
I think Stevens realised smarts deficiencies running the point when he was the starting PG in his rookie season
That may be why they are trying to emphasise smart developing off ball offense such as spot up 3 pointers

[loco_91]

-Smart is a PG,  as passing is his best offensive skill
-Regardless of what you think of Smart, IT is clearly a better player and a better PG right now
-IT is not hindering Smart's development; a team can have two PG's
-Why on earth would we bench Thomas?
-If IT were 3 inches taller, we would not be having this conversation

[greece66]

ok, so assume we start smart AB Crowder.

imo it is obvious we will have difficulties creating offensively.

and i do not see why starting will ipso facto make smart better.

[Celtics4ever]

Marcus main problem is his poor shooting.   I do not see how IT affected this so I do not think that it hurt his development.   If anything, he should get better looks with IT taking pressure off him.   At the end of the day, he has to take and make the shots and that is on him!

[CoachBo]

This is a pretty weak and far-reaching argument.  What about merit?  Has he earned PT at the PG position? If he wasn't a rock of a defender (and a former #6), he would be riding the pine heading into year 3. That's rough.

I hope he makes me eat crow and can get on board more easily with the argument that we need to be a little more patient with him... but he should play PG? That'd be ignoring the fact that he can't dribble, lacks a first step, can't penetrate. His ability to create is so limited because of these factors... and they aren't easily rectifiable (if at all).

TP.

And yet people describe him as a superstar. SMH.

[CoachBo]

Smart is not a point guard.

Finally, someone!

Smart is a combo guard
But would be more classified as a SG rather than a PG
I think Stevens realised smarts deficiencies running the point when he was the starting PG in his rookie season
That may be why they are trying to emphasise smart developing off ball offense such as spot up 3 pointers

Except for the fact he can't shoot.

[hwangjini_1]

This is a pretty weak and far-reaching argument.  What about merit?  Has he earned PT at the PG position? If he wasn't a rock of a defender (and a former #6), he would be riding the pine heading into year 3. That's rough.

I hope he makes me eat crow and can get on board more easily with the argument that we need to be a little more patient with him... but he should play PG? That'd be ignoring the fact that he can't dribble, lacks a first step, can't penetrate. His ability to create is so limited because of these factors... and they aren't easily rectifiable (if at all).

TP.

And yet people describe him as a superstar. SMH.

who does this? and by people, do you lots of people or two people or how many?

sweeping statements like this add nothing to the conversation but can be viewed as demeaning by some. please post better.

[kozlodoev]

Smart is not a point guard.

That's a problem, because he's not a SG or SF either.

I disagree. Smart is a two guard.

Someone who can't catch and shoot very well is not a great SG.

DWade?  DeRozan?  Evan Turner?  Tony Allen?  Rip Hamilton was pretty darn inefficient early in his career also and never developed a good 3 point shot.  As was Jimmy Butler all the way until year 4.  Avery Bradley too up until year 4.

Turner, Allen and Bradley aren't "great" but they are/were certainly starting SG/SFs in the league.  I think I'd be OK if Smart ends up somewhere between DeRozan/Butler and Turner/Allen and pretty happy if he turns into a Rip Hamilton-ish.

I think Marcus Smart can be a SG in the league.

Rip Hamilton averaged 18 ppg eight separate times starting with his second season in the league. He also shot shot 36% or better from three seven times (including a high of 46%). He was a three-time all-star and the top scorer on an championship team.

I think it's pretty safe to say Smart will never be anything remotely resembling Rip Hamilton. I mean, I understand optimism, but this is a "what are you smoking" type of statement.

[CelticsJG]

I wonder where this notion Smart going to be a star come from   Very curious.

How much time does IT have with the ball?? I think he was one of the top 3-5 guys in all of NBA last season.  The ball is stuck in his hands

What was Smart doing more than half on the the time on the court?  yes, just staying at the corner waiting for a pass from IT .   

Smart needs the ball in his hands too and we have seen his capabilities once he gets some time to handle the ball.   Instead of just standing at the corner

BTW this "everyone on the team" needs to become a good shooter or can is not as easy as fans nor CBS thinks.    If this was the case guys like Dwade, Derozan would be supreme shooters. Or even make open shots almost every single time. But they can't and Smart might not be able to.

Why force a player to be something he may never be good at?? 

What Smart is better at is handling the ball a little, getting to that mid range area and hitting floaters or step backs.  Getting to the line a little more and getting his shooting rhythm in order.  Just like how IT needs to get to the line to get his shooting stroke in order

Smart has the tools to become a "total" player on both ends and that includes getting his teammates involved, unlike IT.    I understand IT wants to be the "man". But he is not capable to be such a player night in and night out.  When he feels it (like the one playoff game he was on fire) by all means take the shots. But if you are struggling, stop trying to shoot your way out of a slump and pass it/trust others

And if IT can't do this because he sees himself as an offensive weapon 1st and foremost, then he should be coming off the bench.

During the times when Smart and AB started (right after Rondo trade, IT coming off the bench as the 6th man) the team imo functioned very well.  Team passing was good from the start (good habit the rest of the game) , more confidence on the defensive end and our production from the bench was stronger

Injuries and playing out of position is becoming a tiresome excuse for Smart. He played bad and got criticized. Rightful so. KO went through it. AB went through it. What makes Smart any different? Because he works real hard? Please.

1) He's played for two years. For significant portions of both years he's had significant injury issues, and he's largely played out of position the entire time, i.e. the excuses of injuries and playing out of position are justified.

2) KO has never played out of position. He can effectively play the 4 or 5 in differing lineups; however, we've never played him as something like a 3. AB played half a season out of position at the point guard spot when Rondo tore his ACL, and how exactly did he look? He looked absolutely terrible in that role, because he's a pure 2 guard.

Smart played somewhere around 90% of his minutes last year with at least one of IT or ET, who are two of the more ball-dominant players in the league. ET is incapable of playing off the ball, and though IT can play off the ball, we very rarely used that strategy, even though it did work with IT and Smart that way. We're basically playing Smart as a spot-up shooter, which is he is absolutely not. He is somewhere between a primary to co-ballhandler, and that's absolutely where he thrived last year. Anyone who watched him saw that he was much better in his very little time as the primary ballhandler and decision-maker. In fact, his shot selection and decision-making was so, so much better in that role than as the off-guard, too. So if you don't see how playing the vast majority of his minutes with either, or both, IT and ET, then I don't know what to tell you.

EDIT: Actually, I think Bradley started off Brad's first year as the PG, too, but he was ultimately replaced by Turner after he was terrible.

Smart is a combo guard, so that playing out of position excuse is tiresome. You can still develop your game even if you're injured. The reason he played with IT or ET is because ball handling is not up to par and did't know how to run the PnR effectively.

Only person that is hampering Smart development is Smart. He may be a hard worker but can he identify xyz is not effective? That remains be seen.

[jpotter33]

This is a pretty weak and far-reaching argument.  What about merit?  Has he earned PT at the PG position? If he wasn't a rock of a defender (and a former #6), he would be riding the pine heading into year 3. That's rough.

I hope he makes me eat crow and can get on board more easily with the argument that we need to be a little more patient with him... but he should play PG? That'd be ignoring the fact that he can't dribble, lacks a first step, can't penetrate. His ability to create is so limited because of these factors... and they aren't easily rectifiable (if at all).

TP.

And yet people describe him as a superstar. SMH.

We're making up stuff again, I see. Show me one post where anyone has labeled Marcus a "superstar." You can't, because you're making this ish up.