So What Happens When Smart Gets Back?

[CelticD]

Does he move Larkin back to the end of the bench? I've liked the way Larkin has played thus far, seems very composed and poised when he's on the court. Defensively he isn't as versatile or athletic as Smart, but he's given ball handlers some fits once they cross half court, and he's shown some good lateral quickness against smaller guards.

Offensively, Larkin looks like he's comfortable running an offense. Larkin doesn't shoot a lot when he's on the court, but when he does, it's usually in the flow of the offense, and it's a shot you'd want him to take.

I want Smart to stay on the team for his defense, but it's been 3 seasons of him being a horrible shooter, and Stevens has been okay with it. Do we just have to become accustomed to a sub 30% 3-point shooter taking 4+ attempts a game?

[jaketwice]

If he can't shoot - in today's NBA, he's very limited in his usefulness. I can understand why the Celtics  didn't want to tie up major money in his deal.

Larkin may be the answer going forward - as much as I enjoy Smart's hustle.

[smokeablount]

I still like Smart as our 6th man.  I'd prefer trying starting a 4-some of Kyrie, Jaylen, Tatum and Horford, along with one of Baynes or Rozier, depending on matchups.

Bring the odd man out above, either T-Roz or Baynes, off the bench along with Smart, Morris and Theis.  I still would carve out 10-15 minutes for Larkin, which gets easier if Rozier starts. 

The way they're both playing, Rozier deserves a few starts at SG next to Kyrie because he's been arguable our best player, and Larkin's playing like a legit #2 PG.

[pearljammer10]

Larkin has been playing well but Smart is so much better overall. Rozier plays back up PG and Smart plays back up SG. The lineup when Smart and Morris returns should roughly be:

Irving 32/ Rozier 16/Larkin
Brown 20/ Smart 24/Rozier 6
Tatum 20/Brown 10/Semi
Morris 26/ Tatum 10/Theis 12
Horford 30/ Baynes 18/Yabu

Irving 32
Brown 30
Tatum 30
Horford 30
Morris 26
Smart 24
Rozier 22
Baynes 18
Theis 12
Larkin
Semi
Yabu

[Moranis]

Larkin has been playing well but Smart is so much better overall. Rozier plays back up PG and Smart plays back up SG. The lineup when Smart and Morris returns should roughly be:

Irving 32/ Rozier 16/Larkin
Brown 20/ Smart 24/Rozier 6
Tatum 20/Brown 10/Semi
Morris 26/ Tatum 10/Theis 12
Horford 30/ Baynes 18/Yabu

Irving 32
Brown 30
Tatum 30
Horford 30
Morris 26
Smart 24
Rozier 22
Baynes 18
Theis 12
Larkin
Semi
Yabu

you only have 30 minutes at SF.

[Fafnir]

He will play instead of Semi/Larkin and they'll get moved down to spot minutes instead of 15 mpg.

[mmmmm]

Larkin has been playing well but Smart is so much better overall. Rozier plays back up PG and Smart plays back up SG. The lineup when Smart and Morris returns should roughly be:

Irving 32/ Rozier 16/Larkin
Brown 20/ Smart 24/Rozier 6
Tatum 20/Brown 10/Semi
Morris 26/ Tatum 10/Theis 12
Horford 30/ Baynes 18/Yabu

Irving 32
Brown 30
Tatum 30
Horford 30
Morris 26
Smart 24
Rozier 22
Baynes 18
Theis 12
Larkin
Semi
Yabu

Not so sure Morris starts most of the time.   Maybe more so against small teams.   But I think Brad is liking what he's seen from Baynes as a short-minute starter against teams with a 'classic big' (i.e, the Dwight Howard, Gortat, Lopez, Valanciunas, etc.) and a way to let Al play farther from the hoop on both ends.   On offense, it allows Al to screen the high pick & roll/pop while still having a bigger rebounder & sealer along the baseline and in the post and on defense it allows Al to switch/hedge/double on to a ball-handler outside the paint while still having a true big to help defend the post.  The sample size is small, but so far the advanced stats are really loving having big guys like Baynes & Theis on this team.

There are still a lot of teams (especially in the East) that start a 'classic big'.

[SHAQATTACK]

Hopefully we can win a game or SIX

[Green-18]

Smart's return will help us tremendously when we play elite NBA teams.  The reality is that we will need contributions from every guard on the roster throughout the season.  The good thing about Smart is that he can be plugged in with almost any grouping. 

Larkin should continue to earn minutes when the time is right.  I could be wrong but I envision Larkin being most valuable in a limited role.  He can be the spark plug when we need it but there will be diminishing returns if we rely on him every night.

[goCeltics]

he'll come in and shot a bunch of bad shots he shouldn't shoot, still upset that we didn't tank probably that year and missed out on aaron gordon because of a couple of meaningless wins at the end of the year

[Redz]

he'll come in and shot a bunch of bad shots he shouldn't shoot, still upset that we didn't tank probably that year and missed out on aaron gordon because of a couple of meaningless wins at the end of the year

Wow

That's some bitter fandom

[Surferdad]

he'll come in and shot a bunch of bad shots he shouldn't shoot, still upset that we didn't tank probably that year and missed out on aaron gordon because of a couple of meaningless wins at the end of the year

Aaron Gordon is fool's gold.  Had a monster game the other night, but I have no regrets not picking Gordon.

[Green-18]

he'll come in and shot a bunch of bad shots he shouldn't shoot, still upset that we didn't tank probably that year and missed out on aaron gordon because of a couple of meaningless wins at the end of the year

Aaron Gordon is fool's gold.  Had a monster game the other night, but I have no regrets not picking Gordon.

Me neither.  I am fine with Marcus even if Gordon blows up to become an All-Star this season.  This just means that Gordon will receive his max contract when he becomes a restricted free agent. For all his flaws Marcus bring intangibles to the team that are difficult to find.  Marcus can be an asset on any team.