Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart is one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters off the dribble: ‘It’s something I’ve always been able to do’

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2020/02/boston-celtics-marcus-smart-is-one-of-the-nbas-best-3-point-shooters-off-the-dribble-its-something-ive-always-been-able-to-do.html




Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart is one of the NBA’s best 3-point shooters off the dribble: ‘It’s something I’ve always been able to do’



Updated Feb 28, 2020; Posted Feb 28, 2020




Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) shoots a three-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Phoenix Suns, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)AP



By Tom Westerholm | twesterh@masslive.com




BOSTON -- A strange disparity exists in Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart’s shooting splits this season.

Smart, who is shooting a relatively acceptable 35.9 percent from deep, struggled from 3-point range for much of his NBA career. Last year, after he inked a four-year deal with the Celtics in the summer, Smart poured in a career-high 36 percent of his triples, but in the previous three seasons he shot no higher than 30.1 percent on no fewer than four attempts per game.


The biggest difference this year? Smart is shooting a somewhat staggering 42.2 percent from three off the dribble. As noted by Twitter user @StatCenter, he and J.J. Redick lead the NBA in 3-point percentage off the bounce (with at least 100 attempts). Filter those totals to three dribbles or more (on at least 45 attempts), Smart’s number rises to 44 percent, trailing only Joe Ingles league-wide.

Not bad for a guy who, in 2017, had an article written about him titled “Marcus Smart is having the worst 3-point shooting season in NBA history.”

“I think the biggest thing -- and we’ve talked about this ad nauseum -- when he’s got a good look, take the good ones, and he’s done a pretty good job of that,” Brad Stevens said on Friday (after expressing some surprise at Smart’s shooting proficiency off the dribble). “Obviously had some big scoring games, but he’s not forcing that. And I think that’s important, because when you force the tough ones off the dribble, that’s when your percentage will go way down.”


Smart himself said he’s always had that shot in his repertoire.

“When I got here, it wasn’t needed, so I didn’t work on it as much," Smart said. "Over the years, I just continued to keep honing it, and it’s finally paying off. I just have to continue to keep it up.”

But that doesn’t entirely track. Per the NBA’s stat site, Smart has taken 109 triples off the dribble this season -- the most of his career with months still remaining. Last season, however, he shot 29.1 percent on 86 attempts. The year before, he shot 27.1 percent on 70 attempts. If shooting pull-up 3-pointers was a part of Smart’s arsenal, it was very dormant early in his career.

Smart did say catch-and-shoot 3-pointers are easier for him, although -- again -- the numbers don’t quite agree this year: He’s shooting just 32 percent on 194 catch-and-shoot attempts.

Still, he likes shooting around a pick-and-roll.

“I’m able to get my rhythm even more," Smart said. “Catch and shoot, you’ve got to generate your own rhythm, whereas with the ball, you kind of got a pace. You can kind of feel it. But catch and shoot is easier for me. For some guys, it’s harder because you have to generate that, but for me that’s catch and shoot and let it fly. But I love shooting off the dribble, just because I’m able to get a rhythm that way as well.”


Another name on high on those lists of players shooting threes off the dribble won’t surprise anyone who has watched the Celtics recently: Jayson Tatum. On 4.4 pull-up attempts per game, Tatum has shot 40.7 percent -- again, a better total than his 3-point shooting off the catch. Kemba Walker has a solid percentage as well, burying 37.2 percent of his 6.1 attempts per game.

“I think you have to be able to do that,” Stevens said. “The better you are off the bounce -- Kemba’s great it, Tatum’s great at it, we’ve got a number of guys who are really good at it. But when bigs are way back and you can pull up at the three, it sure helps.”

Smart called the threat of 3-point shooters who can shoot off the dribble “everything.”

“It keeps the defense honest every single possession, because if you go under, you know the guy is probably going to pull up,” Smart said. “And the way he’s shooting, he’s probably going to make it more times than not, and if you don’t trail him, you whip it, he’s pulling up. If you do trail it and he decides not to shoot and the big is back, he’s driving at the big, he’s putting the big in a very very tough position and is making plays for others. When you’ve got guys who can play off the dribble and create their own shots, it definitely makes them a tougher threat.”


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