ON OFFENSE (could not fit that)
And what he can do to get better.
This will hopefully show some how bad he is currently. What he needs to improve to get better.
Strengths - Confidence, tough, hustle, effort, strong, never gives up on the ball.
- Can guard multiple positions.
- Improved FT % , Improved half court offense capabilities.
- Has a decent post game and it can be a big plus for him in the future.
Let's compare him to 3 players. Some random, some in same draft class, and some similar to position and height.
Chris Paul (elite point guard, veteran, super star)
Elfrid Payton
Zach Lavine
Patrick Beverly
Problems with Smart are obviously his offensive deficiencies. Let us go inside in depth to show us that these problems are true, because many refuse to understand these issues.
MARCUS SMART'S INABILITY TO DRIVE TO THE BASKET/FINISH AT THE RIM
SHOT TYPE - LAYUP
Shots FG% EFG% ASSISTED UNASSISTED
Marcus Smart - 71 for 158 44.9 % 44.9 % 53.5 % 46.5 %
Elfrid Payton - 224 for 385 58.2 % 58.2 % 14.7 % 85.3 %
Zach Lavine - 91 for 165 55.2 % 55.5 % 46.2 % 53.8 %
Chris Paul - 38 for 63 60.3 % 60.3 % 18.4 % 81.6 %
Patrick Bever - 69 for 125 55.2 % 55.2 % 27.4 % 72.6 %
Marcus Smart shows his inability to drive to the basket here. Plus look at the % of his layups assisted...primarily on fast breaks/breakdowns on defense/cuts to the basket. Basically he can't drive or get to the rim and finish very well. Most of his layups require no skill or creativity on his offensive ability. Patrick Beverly is very similar a player to Smart, but Beverly does much better even though he is not that great of a driver either, he also makes 72% of his layups off of his own creativity.
MARCUS'S POOR SHOOTING
JUMP SHOTS
Shots FG% EFG% ASSISTED UNASSISTED
Marcus Smart - 176 for 556 31.7 % 40.1 % 61.4 % 38.6 %
Elfrid Payton - 188 for 503 37.4 % 42.2 % 27.7 % 72.3 %
Zach Lavine - 196 for 503 39.0 % 50.8 % 64.8 % 35.2 %
Chris Paul - 327 for 711 46.3 % 54.5 % 22.4 % 77.6 %
Patrick Bever - 150 for 398 37.7 % 51.2 % 70.0 % 30.0 %
Marcus Smart again TERRIBLE. Look at Elfrid who also isn't great , and we know he isn't a good shooter. Has a 37.4 advantage, but Elfrid jumpers are 72.3 unassisted. Marcus's jumpers are 61.4 Assisted. Again no creativity, most are kick outs from Horford either for 3 or a contested jumper. Now you go to pretty good shooting. Zach is pretty good. EFG% of 50.8. He shoots a lot of 3's and a lot are assisted like Smart, but Lavine as you can see shoots very well. Chris Paul is just so good. 711 jumpers easily shoots the most of all players, but shoots it at 46% and EFG% of 54.5. Most of all Chris Paul has 77.6 of his jumpers of his dribble and create, which just shows how [dang] good and how vital of a player he is. A point guard who can score like that and do it with no help. Then you have Beverly who also does a good job, his % is similar to Elfrid, but Beverly is a good 3 point shooter, thus his EFG% is also good at 51%.
This just proves 2 things, and it depends on what side of Smart you are on.....
1 ) He has to improve these things, his shooting and driving abilities have to improve.
2 ) He doesn't have the capability to do these things. It's not that he doesn't want to , its that he cant.