New Marcus Smart comparison?

[LarBrd33]

I see a smaller version of Metta World Peace.  His best skills are his lock down defense and toughness.  I don't think he is quick enough to be a point guard and cannot shoot well enough to be a starting two guard. I see him more as that junk yard dog guy which every team needs.

This is a great comparison.  I'll second it.   Smart is a shorter poor man's Ron Artest.  Young Artest put up similar shooting percentages, but was a beast defensively.

[jbp126]

I see a smaller version of Metta World Peace.  His best skills are his lock down defense and toughness.  I don't think he is quick enough to be a point guard and cannot shoot well enough to be a starting two guard. I see him more as that junk yard dog guy which every team needs.

Draftexpress compared a pre-draft Jae Crowder to a "shorter, saner Ron Artest".  I'm not sure they've ever had a more accurate player comp.

[jbp126]

How about a shorter Thabo Sefolosha with historically bad shooting?   

See, it's tough to find comparisons to Smart, because there's really very few examples of guards who shot under 40% from the field, under 30% from three, and under 50% from the line, but earned minutes with defensive tenacity, quality flops, intangibles, and the clutch gene.  It's kind of an aberration.

I agree, he's a tough player to find a comp. for because of all of those things.  That's why I agree with the Tony Allen comp.  Young Allen was more athletic, thus a better scorer but Smart at least equals his defensive abilities, especially at the same age/point in career.

[LarBrd33]

I see a smaller version of Metta World Peace.  His best skills are his lock down defense and toughness.  I don't think he is quick enough to be a point guard and cannot shoot well enough to be a starting two guard. I see him more as that junk yard dog guy which every team needs.

This is a great comparison.  I'll second it.   Smart is a shorter poor man's Ron Artest.  Young Artest put up similar shooting percentages, but was a beast defensively.

Per-36 their first few seasons:

Code: [Select]

                                                             
Player               FG%  3P%  FT% TRB AST STL BLK TOV  PF  PTS
Marcus Smart        .359 .297 .706 4.9 4.0 1.9 0.4 1.8 3.6 11.3
Metta World Peace   .410 .306 .700 5.0 3.2 2.4 0.7 2.6 3.6 14.4


[tstorey_97]

Part of Smart's "dynamic" is how he is coached/used. The Steven's Celtics "have" to shoot threes. Fine, it is his team, but, I think that Smart is a slasher by nature and would be more effective working inside rather than deep threes, which he is much better at this year.

If a guard is 0 for 6 from three can't Stevens just tell the guy to stop for that specific game? Lord it is painful.

When watching a Celtics game in the final 7 minutes or so...do you or do you not "long" to see Smart on the court? I suggest his mates feel exactly the same way. When all is chaos at the climax of the game, Smart is not overcome by the moment. This is not uncommon for Celtics of the past and makes him a solid fit in green.

[celticsclay]

Ron Artest is actually the best one of what I have seen. Artest actually made an all star game and maybe would have made another one or two if he hadn't been so crazy. He has also had an extremely long career as he is still playing now. If Smart shows the form he was showing a few weeks ago and gets the 3 point shooting improved he would be at that level. I again, don't know if that will happen. It does seem baffling to think he will never improve his shooting, but I guess some people just can't.

[chambers]

Chauncey Billups.

[hpantazo]

Ron Artest is actually the best one of what I have seen. Artest actually made an all star game and maybe would have made another one or two if he hadn't been so crazy. He has also had an extremely long career as he is still playing now. If Smart shows the form he was showing a few weeks ago and gets the 3 point shooting improved he would be at that level. I again, don't know if that will happen. It does seem baffling to think he will never improve his shooting, but I guess some people just can't.

Artest is an excellent comparison! Marcus has a lot of Artest qualities. Artest was a legit all-star before the Malice in the Palace incident derailed his career and put him over the top with his mental issues. He has that aggression, drive , the ability to make things happen that impact the game for the better of his team like Artest had. Not the best offensive player, but outstanding defender.

Artest did eventually develop that 3pt shot later in his career though, and killed us in game 7 vs the Lakers with it sadly. Hopefully it doesnt take Smart as long to develop his own 3pt shot. He's showing signs already this season of improved 3 pt shooting imo.

[PhoSita]

Do you see him as something like a bigger Tyronn Lue without the shooting ability?  Someone who will bounce around from team to team and make defensive contributions off the bench?  Could find himself on a title team some day causing problems for the opponent's star PG?

I see him as a Kirk Hinrich sort of player crossed with the physicality / poor offensive polish of Tony Allen.

He will probably have a nice long career as a useful bench guy, maybe have some nice moments in the playoffs.  Hopefully for the Celts.

I agree it's not what you want from a #6 pick, but he can at least play and contribute to wins.  That's more than most teams get from disappointing top 10 picks, and his weak offensive game will make it easier to re-sign him. 

The Celts have gotten a winning player from day 1 with Marcus even if he doesn't have the upside you'd preferred.  He has 5.9 career Win Shares, which is not bad for a guy just starting his 3rd season.

[celticsclay]

Do you see him as something like a bigger Tyronn Lue without the shooting ability?  Someone who will bounce around from team to team and make defensive contributions off the bench?  Could find himself on a title team some day causing problems for the opponent's star PG?

I see him as a Kirk Hinrich sort of player crossed with the physicality / poor offensive polish of Tony Allen.

He will probably have a nice long career as a useful bench guy, maybe have some nice moments in the playoffs.  Hopefully for the Celts.

I agree it's not what you want from a #6 pick, but he can at least play and contribute to wins.  That's more than most teams get from disappointing top 10 picks, and his weak offensive game will make it easier to re-sign him. 

The Celts have gotten a winning player from day 1 with Marcus even if he doesn't have the upside you'd preferred.  He has 5.9 career Win Shares, which is not bad for a guy just starting his 3rd season.

That seems like worst case scenario...

[jbp126]

Do you see him as something like a bigger Tyronn Lue without the shooting ability?  Someone who will bounce around from team to team and make defensive contributions off the bench?  Could find himself on a title team some day causing problems for the opponent's star PG?

I see him as a Kirk Hinrich sort of player crossed with the physicality / poor offensive polish of Tony Allen.

He will probably have a nice long career as a useful bench guy, maybe have some nice moments in the playoffs.  Hopefully for the Celts.

I agree it's not what you want from a #6 pick, but he can at least play and contribute to wins.  That's more than most teams get from disappointing top 10 picks, and his weak offensive game will make it easier to re-sign him. 

The Celts have gotten a winning player from day 1 with Marcus even if he doesn't have the upside you'd preferred.  He has 5.9 career Win Shares, which is not bad for a guy just starting his 3rd season.

I think the Hinrich/Allen comparison is fair.  I agree, Smart may not live up to what many expect for a #6 pick but he's a solid player that does many good things on the floor and he should continue to grow.

[Neurotic Guy]

Yeah Dumars is a stretch. Prob Tony Allen or Bruce Bowen. Good thing is that Smart is still years away from his prime.

Yes -- he's way before his prime.  I think Marcus is already pretty close to where either Bowen or Allen were in their prime.   Neither Bowen nor TA were anywhere near the complete player that Marcus is when they were 22.   Marcus just needs to strengthen his shooting and he leaves both TA and Bowen in the dust. 

[PhoSita]

I see him as a Kirk Hinrich sort of player crossed with the physicality / poor offensive polish of Tony Allen.

That seems like worst case scenario...

Hinrich and TA were both high level role players for a number of years.  Hinrich has 52.5 career Win Shares; TA has 35.7.

[walker834]

He's better than Tony Allen and those guys.  He's a poor man's Dj so far in his career imo.  Shoots 3's. We have him playing all over the place.

He's a defensive James Harden. His talent level is still way up there.  He was the 6th pick in a strong draft and was the best defensive guard and considered by some the best defensive player period.

[celticsclay]

I see him as a Kirk Hinrich sort of player crossed with the physicality / poor offensive polish of Tony Allen.

That seems like worst case scenario...

Hinrich and TA were both high level role players for a number of years.  Hinrich has 52.5 career Win Shares; TA has 35.7.

I am not saying they are bad players. Hinrich was also better than I remembered in his first couple seasons. I was trying to remember if he suffered a severe injury after his 4th season or what happened that made him go from averaging 15-16 to 9-11 for the rest of his career. Was it just Derrick Rose arriving?

Also, something to keep in mind is that Hinrich turned 23 his rookie season. Smart doesn't even turn 23 until this season is almost over. I do really feel like people are being quick to say "smart is what he is" or running out of patience with him when he is an age a lot of players now that people used to come into the league at. I remember a lot of people, possibly also myself, were thinking Bradley was what he was after 3 season when he was 22 because he had been around so long. Obviously even now he continues to get better. I think constantly comparing him to every guy from his rookie class anytime one of these guys plays good for a few weeks just adds to this. (I do acknowledge it is difficult to be patient because he is an easy guy to root for and so we get frustrated when he doesn't take immediate leaps).