Celtics' Marcus Smart shaking rust, crashing glass after missing extended time

http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/celtics/post/_/id/4721637/marcus-smart-shaking-rust-crashing-glass-after-missing-extended-time



Celtics' Marcus Smart shaking rust, crashing glass after missing extended time


9:58 PM ET


Chris Forsberg
ESPN Staff Writer




In the final minute of the first half of Thursday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics floor-stretching big man Kelly Olynyk fired up a 3-pointer from the right wing. As five white jerseys turned to track the rebound, Celtics guard Marcus Smart started an all-out dash from beyond the 3-point arc on the opposite side of the floor. Rushing past four Bulls, Smart outleaped Chicago big man Pau Gasol in the paint and corralled the ball, then contorted his body as he drifted toward the end line and managed to deliver a baseball pass back to the 3-point arc, helping Boston maintain possession as Smart crashed to the floor.

It might have been more noteworthy if it wasn't becoming the norm. In the six games since returning from injury and while slowly ramping up his minutes, Smart has grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and owns the same offensive-rebound rate as Jared Sullinger and Amir Johnson during that span (only Tyler Zeller is grabbing a higher percentage of available offensive caroms in those six games, at 8.9 percent; Smart is at 8 percent).


As his health has improved, Marcus Smart's minutes have increased -- as have his rebounds. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images


It's one of a handful of numbers that jump out from Smart's stat line as he works his way back from a knee injury that sidelined him for 18 games. Smart, whose offensive game was a work in progress even before the injury, still shows offensive rust, shooting a mere 29.8 percent since returning, but he has balanced that with a steady hand (a staggering 12-1 turnover-to-assist ratio), dogged defense (Boston's defensive rating of 93.8 with Smart on the floor is the best on the team among regulars during the past six games) and a rather uncanny new desire to crash the offensive glass.

When the Los Angeles Lakers visited in the last week of December, Smart crashed the glass as Evan Turner put up a baseline jumper and produced a spectacular, one-handed putback slam. Smart nearly did it again in the fourth quarter against Chicago, settling for a putback layup off a Jae Crowder miss.

As Smart struggles to get shots to drop, he seems to be seeking unique ways to generate easy points. And as long as he's able to recover and pick up his defensive assignment in transition when he doesn't get to those caroms, he's giving Boston's struggling offense a small boost by producing the occasional second-chance opportunity.

Ultimately, Smart needs to start making shots, particularly if the Celtics continue to play him off the ball when paired with another ball handler such as Turner. With Avery Bradley scheduled to return to game action Sunday in Memphis, it's enough to make you wonder what coach Brad Stevens might do with Boston's guard rotation if he can ever get them all healthy at the same time.

The Celtics made their second-half surge last season with Smart in the starting point guard role, and that was his spot at the start of the 2015-16 season. His injury absence moved Isaiah Thomas into a starting role, and Boston's first-unit pairing of Thomas and Bradley has performed so well that Smart was eased back in via a reserve role (and Turner elevated to starting shooting guard with Bradley out the past three games).

There's a line of thinking that Smart's shooting limitations make him more ideal to simply run the first-unit offense alongside a shooter like Bradley, which would allow the Celtics to move Thomas back to the reserve role in which he thrived last season. That might be the easiest way to give Boston's anemic second-unit offense the jolt it desperately needs.

The Celtics could also keep Smart with the bench unit to prevent making overhauls to a first unit that has put up solid numbers since Smart got hurt in late November. With Boston dropping four of its past five games, including some head-shaking losses to inferior opponents such as the Brooklyn Nets and Lakers, there's a chance here for Stevens to make changes without fear they might be overanalyzed if Boston struggles moving forward.

Smart is averaging 6.7 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and 1.2 steals over 21 minutes per game since returning. His shooting numbers need to improve (29.8 field goal percentage, 16.7 3-point percentage, 69.2 free throw percentage), but he's still one of the few Boston players with a positive net rating during that span.

And whether it's loud, putback dunks or diving for steals when opponents walk the dog, Smart is making his impact felt. The Celtics are a different team when he's out there, but they need Smart to elevate his offensive game in order to help take another step forward and prevent the sort of funks the team is in now.

Earlier this week, during an appearance on Boston sports radio WBZ-FM 98.5, esteemed Celtics play-by-play voice Mike Gorman opined that Smart will eventually be the leader of this Celtics team. Appearing on the same airwaves the following day, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was asked if he agreed with that sentiment.

"I do see some leadership qualities in Marcus," Ainge told the "Toucher and Rich" program of the second-year guard. "Marcus is 21 years old and he's got a long way to go to be a leader of our team. But he does have leadership qualities. He is growing as a professional. And we're very excited about his future."

Asked if he considers himself one of the leaders of a young team, Smart said, "I think I do. I’m sure my teammates do, too. Just by example, I try to go out there every night and bring the defensive intensity that I know we need and that I know we can have every night."



bob
MY NOTE:  Saying that Smart needs to improve his offense is like saying the Mohave Desert could stand a bit more rain.  I love his defense and his heart, but he is a horrible, horrible shooter.  He needs to hire a shooting coach this summer who will break down his mechanics and reteach them to him. His defense, however, is inspiring.


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bob Kawhi Leonard also had no jumper whatsoever in his second year, once he gets that shot respectable which he will....you are gonna love this kid.

Jump shot. Smart vs Leonard. First two years.

First year shooting percent.
Smart - Overall .322 , 3pt , .330 , 2pt , .303
Leonard - Overall - .391 , 3pt , .396 , 2pt - .387

Second year shooting percent.
Smart - overall - .265 - 3pt - .217 - 2pt - .342
Leonard - Overall - .418 - 3pt - .378 - 2pt - .455

So far in his career, offensively at least, Smart doesn't compare too well with Leonard as a jump shooter.

swish

Not every player becomes a significantly better shooter as time goes on. Marcus is not a good shooter at all. He never has been. If Brad wants to play a pace and space type of offense, Marcus doesn't seem to fit that style of player. He's more of a grinder, half court player who will probably do better in a traditional offense.
It will be interesting to see how many minutes Brad can give Marcus when Bradley returns.

I've made no secret about it, I don't like his shooting mechanics. Too much motion in it.


bob


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