Smart's Shot Selection

[Dino Pitino]

Is he really that bad at selecting shots, or are fans predisposed to expect bad shots and therefore see some average or even good shots as bad? I think the latter. He gets criticized for taking shots early in the clock, late in the clock, and even in the middle of the clock. There is no time at which some fans think it's a good time for him to take a shot, any shot.

[smokeablount]

His shot selection is usually bad / he shoots too much, which means he shouldn't be allowed to do what, say, Kyrie does.  If he was a decent shooter, this would be ok.

Apart from in the clutch he is a very bad shooter, so he should not be taking shots very early in the shot clock because we can almost certainly get an equal or better look from a much better shooter.  He also dribbles around and puts up shots as the clock expires that are bad shots, though I don't fault him when he gets passed the ball with like 2-3 seconds on the shot clock.

The worst is his guaranteed heat check 3 point attempt after he makes a 3, which has maybe gone in once in his entire career.  That's a Jamal Crawford shot and he shoots like the opposite of Jamal Crawford.

The complaints are 100% legitimate.  I have nothing against Smart, I'd love him to shoot less or improve his shot because then I'd probably be happy to pay him unless it costs us Rozier.

[Chief Macho]

terrible. and it starts with his feet position.   never lined up correctly.

[Spicoli]

I'm a huge Smart supporter, but he's been playing selfish this year. It looks like he's playing to get his numbers. He consistently waves off Kyrie which is ridiculous. He tried to post up Khris Middleton who has like 5 inches on him. He takes heat check 3 pointers early in the clock. I can no longer defend Marcus if he plays like this.

[CelticD]

Is he really that bad at selecting shots, or are fans predisposed to expect bad shots and therefore see some average or even good shots as bad? I think the latter. He gets criticized for taking shots early in the clock, late in the clock, and even in the middle of the clock. There is no time at which some fans think it's a good time for him to take a shot, any shot.

I mean when you are among the worst shot makers in league history this is not an unreasonable take. Every so often he'll make 3's when they count, but the defense will live with that each and every single night. A Celtic possession that ends with a Marcus Smart 3-point attempt was a good possession for the opposing team.

[Green-18]

I wouldn't rule out the idea that Brad is coaching him to be aggressive.  Maybe I am wrong but Brad has a strong belief in Marcus and the last thing he wants is for him to become tentative.  It was evident that our entire bench was pumped when he hit those big shots last night.  The luxury for Brad is that we have plenty of depth and he can pull Marcus if the shots are truly holding back the team on any given night.  More often than not Marcus ends up delivering with a big shot and is a net + while on the court.

I honestly believe Brad is telling Marcus to come out aggressive as soon as his number is called. 

[colincb]

Smart is the biggest disappointment on this team so far.

[kozlodoev]

Is he really that bad at selecting shots, or are fans predisposed to expect bad shots and therefore see some average or even good shots as bad? I think the latter. He gets criticized for taking shots early in the clock, late in the clock, and even in the middle of the clock. There is no time at which some fans think it's a good time for him to take a shot, any shot.

He's shooting 28%(!!!) from the field so far this season. Do you think he has any business averaging 13 shots a game? That's third on the team.

[feckless]

His shot selection is usually bad / he shoots too much, which means he shouldn't be allowed to do what, say, Kyrie does.  If he was a decent shooter, this would be ok.

Apart from in the clutch he is a very bad shooter, so he should not be taking shots very early in the shot clock because we can almost certainly get an equal or better look from a much better shooter.  He also dribbles around and puts up shots as the clock expires that are bad shots, though I don't fault him when he gets passed the ball with like 2-3 seconds on the shot clock.

The worst is his guaranteed heat check 3 point attempt after he makes a 3, which has maybe gone in once in his entire career.  That's a Jamal Crawford shot and he shoots like the opposite of Jamal Crawford.

The complaints are 100% legitimate.  I have nothing against Smart, I'd love him to shoot less or improve his shot because then I'd probably be happy to pay him unless it costs us Rozier.

I agree with every word of the above.  I am not even sure Marcus is as poor a shooter as his stats indicate because his shot selection is so awful, no one could shoot a decent percentage on those shots.  His decisions for his own offense are usually wrong--Even down to his drives and last night he took shots out of the post-up that were not there. 

Every year I keep thinking Marcus will get that his offense is weak because he takes too many bad shots.  But  it has not gotten through to him yet.

And yes once he makes a 3 --even if he is 1 for 4 or 5 at that point it is guaranteed he will take another 3, usually forced and not in the flow of the game.

For someone who understands defense so well why can't he understand what is a good shot and why his shots are generally bad choices?  He takes a cursable shot or 2 or 4 every game.
And I never see any progress in his shot selection, very frustrating.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Is he really that bad at selecting shots, or are fans predisposed to expect bad shots and therefore see some average or even good shots as bad? I think the latter. He gets criticized for taking shots early in the clock, late in the clock, and even in the middle of the clock. There is no time at which some fans think it's a good time for him to take a shot, any shot.

If you're a bad shooter, as Smart is, there is, in fact, no time when it's good for him to take a shot (unless it's a layup or dunk).

[Green-18]

His shot selection is usually bad / he shoots too much, which means he shouldn't be allowed to do what, say, Kyrie does.  If he was a decent shooter, this would be ok.

Apart from in the clutch he is a very bad shooter, so he should not be taking shots very early in the shot clock because we can almost certainly get an equal or better look from a much better shooter.  He also dribbles around and puts up shots as the clock expires that are bad shots, though I don't fault him when he gets passed the ball with like 2-3 seconds on the shot clock.

The worst is his guaranteed heat check 3 point attempt after he makes a 3, which has maybe gone in once in his entire career.  That's a Jamal Crawford shot and he shoots like the opposite of Jamal Crawford.

The complaints are 100% legitimate.  I have nothing against Smart, I'd love him to shoot less or improve his shot because then I'd probably be happy to pay him unless it costs us Rozier.

I agree with every word of the above.  I am not even sure Marcus is as poor a shooter as his stats indicate because his shot selection is so awful, no one could shoot a decent percentage on those shots.  His decisions for his own offense are usually wrong--Even down to his drives and last night he took shots out of the post-up that were not there. 

Every year I keep thinking Marcus will get that his offense is weak because he takes too many bad shots.  But  it has not gotten through to him yet.

And yes once he makes a 3 --even if he is 1 for 4 or 5 at that point it is guaranteed he will take another 3, usually forced and not in the flow of the game.

For someone who understands defense so well why can't he understand what is a good shot and why his shots are generally bad choices?  He takes a cursable shot or 2 or 4 every game.
And I never see any progress in his shot selection, very frustrating.

Doesn't this eventually reflect on Brad Stevens?  Like I said before I don't think he is telling Marcus to limit his shots.  Brad coaches him to be aggressive and then adjusts the lineup depending on the results.  Brad has even gotten defensive when the media mentions the poor shooting of Marcus. 

The advanced metrics still reflect strongly on Marcus regardless of what anyone thinks about his shot selection.  Last season he ranked 21st among PG's in RPM.  That alone seems mediocre but 18 of the top 21 were regular starters last season.  If we compare him to SG's he would be #15 in this category.  He also grades very favorably in win shares.  I'm not a crazy advanced metrics guy but I guy into the fact that Marcus' overall impact is a major positive on our team.  As other have managed if Marcus shot average at the guard spot then he would be a top 10 guard in the entire league.

[Dino Pitino]

Is he really that bad at selecting shots, or are fans predisposed to expect bad shots and therefore see some average or even good shots as bad? I think the latter. He gets criticized for taking shots early in the clock, late in the clock, and even in the middle of the clock. There is no time at which some fans think it's a good time for him to take a shot, any shot.

If you're a bad shooter, as Smart is, there is, in fact, no time when it's good for him to take a shot (unless it's a layup or dunk).

Well, there it is. If he makes them, they're good decisions. He's not going to take fewer shots, Brad must be giving him the indefinite green light to gun away until he starts making them. His selection won't improve by subtraction, but by converting misses -- of the same variety and quality -- into makes.

[smokeablount]

Is he really that bad at selecting shots, or are fans predisposed to expect bad shots and therefore see some average or even good shots as bad? I think the latter. He gets criticized for taking shots early in the clock, late in the clock, and even in the middle of the clock. There is no time at which some fans think it's a good time for him to take a shot, any shot.

If you're a bad shooter, as Smart is, there is, in fact, no time when it's good for him to take a shot (unless it's a layup or dunk).

Well, there it is. If he makes them, they're good decisions. He's not going to take fewer shots, Brad must be giving him the indefinite green light to gun away until he starts making them. His selection won't improve by subtraction, but by converting misses -- of the same variety and quality -- into makes.

I mean, if he's open for a 3 off a series of Spurs-esque passes around the perimeter, or into and then back out of the post, I'm okay with him shooting that 3.  If he doesn't even shoot it, it's not going to be good for keeping the defense honest. 

We also know he can be decent on quality looks from the corner, so I'm generally ok with those.  But whenever he does one of these two things and it works, he almost always offsets it with a garbage follow up heat check.  I get that Brad must encourage him to be aggressive, but it's inconceivable to me that Brad is telling Marcus to force looks like that. 

So if he gets open looks off crisp passing or quality corner looks then I'm ok with him shooting the 3, but he shouldn't be looking to create his own shot.  And if he's getting good looks and clanking everything, we have the talent where it's ok to take him out.

[__ramonezy__]

Shot selection is my biggest gripe with Smart... instead of letting his offensive game come to him, he forces jumpers trying to prove that he can shoot and wastes a possession.

Smart needs to take a page out of D-Wade's play book... a steady diet of post-ups, mid-range jumpers, drives which he seems more than capable of doing.

[droopdog7]

The problem with Smart shot selection is that aside from a wide open layup, there are no good shots for him.  But since he fancies himself a scorer, he shoots anyway.

As for late clock situations, well, that's mostly his fault as the point guard.  And while I don't have data on this, it seems much of the time it happens because he's just dribbling the ball too long. 

So I know some of you want to make a case for the situation but no, it's pretty much all on him.