I get it now. The NBA equivalent of Marcus Smart is.....

[Eja117]

....Dennis Rodman. In pg form. With a teeny bit more hustle.

If he were a football player he'd be a fullback.

I just saw him just man to man defend Ben Simmons. He does stuff like that. Who does stuff like that? It reminds me of the time Rodman defended Shaq straight up.

Fullbacks. They're a dying breed. They don't really run the ball. Why are they needed? I think I read a while ago a player said you're kinda not really a football team without a fullback. You really need someone to do dirty work. You really need a tough and nasty identity and the fullback delivers that in a singularly meaningful way by popping someone in the mouth and reminding you that you're a football team. That's Smart.

I love Rozier. What I was seeing in him was sorta a Jeff Teague or Kyle Lowry type guy that took a few years to get good and then was close to all star status.

But Smart does something nobody else does. You can't live without a soul and maybe Smart is that soul. If someone like Tatum or Jaylen see Smart defending like he does they think they can do it. That's what Smart's about. That's a huge part of why the team didn't lose its identity when all those players left.

Also I think the longer Smart is around the more Stevens and the team realize how best to use him, so he's not quite the weakness he was and now that his contract year is behind him he doesn't try to do things he can't do anymore. There's no desperation to score and hit the long ball that he can't hit so he's more within himself now.

I hope we can keep them both. I suppose it would put us into luxury tax land but isn't a championship a luxury?

[Eja117]

Smart's that guy at the Y that has serious flaws but you totally want to play with him because you know there's a good chance you'll win if he's on your team.

And you sure as heck don't want to play against him because that is just no fun at all.

I hate that guy. Unless he's on my team which is when I love him

[pokeKingCurtis]

Smart has the lion heart.

Rozier is a helluva player, an absolutely swagtastic scorer.

But Smart is gonna be hell to replace if we lose him.

[Greyman]

Agree with other comments. I think he will get his scoring going again too. I know he has always been inconsistent but his good nights were becoming more frequent prior to his injury. I know scoring isn't the main reason you have a Smart on your team but once he gets it going it makes a difference.

[Roy H.]

If he’s Rodman, then he needs to recognize that not every shot is a good shot. Rodman shot above 50% for his career because he knew his limitations.

[RLewis35]

If he’s Rodman, then he needs to recognize that not every shot is a good shot. Rodman shot above 50% for his career because he knew his limitations.

Great point.  Smart still has poor shot selection.  Assuming he doesn’t improve his outside shooting, limiting his shot selection and being more efficient on the shots he takes will be very important. 

[Celtics4ever]

Agree with other comments. I think he will get his scoring going again too. I know he has always been inconsistent but his good nights were becoming more frequent prior to his injury.

I don't think he was ever  a great scorer or shooter.   He is very streaky.   I think he is worse than ever now because his hand is still hurt.

[SHAQATTACK]

If he’s Rodman, then he needs to recognize that not every shot is a good shot. Rodman shot above 50% for his career because he knew his limitations.

Clint Eastwood once said the same to Hal Holbrook ...

[TomHeinsohn]

That rebound he got over embiid with the and 1 putback is one of the best plays I've ever seen a guard make.

[Roy H.]

If he’s Rodman, then he needs to recognize that not every shot is a good shot. Rodman shot above 50% for his career because he knew his limitations.

Clint Eastwood once said the same to Hal Holbrook ...

Lol. That’s classic.

[Eja117]

Also maybe Marcus Smart could help negotiate peace in some hot spot on the globe like Iran.

[kozlodoev]

The NBA equivalent of Marcus Smart is... Marcus Smart. Because he's Marcus Smart

[droopdog7]

Smart's that guy at the Y that has serious flaws but you totally want to play with him because you know there's a good chance you'll win if he's on your team.

And you sure as heck don't want to play against him because that is just no fun at all.

I hate that guy. Unless he's on my team which is when I love him

I disagree.  Smart is that guy at the Y that NOBODY wants to play with because he takes the game too seriously.  Diving for loose balls and stuff doesn’t fly in pick up games.

[kozlodoev]

Smart's that guy at the Y that has serious flaws but you totally want to play with him because you know there's a good chance you'll win if he's on your team.

And you sure as heck don't want to play against him because that is just no fun at all.

I hate that guy. Unless he's on my team which is when I love him

I disagree.  Smart is that guy at the Y that NOBODY wants to play with because he takes the game too seriously.  Diving for loose balls and stuff doesn’t fly in pick up games.

Nah, that's Avery Bradley from his full-court press period.

[timpiker]

I'll go to my grave loving Marcus Smart.