Should Marcus Smart stop shooting?

by **bobheckler** Tue Nov 21, 2017 12:19 pm

https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/11/21/16683630/celtic-sunrise-should-marcus-smart-stop-shooting-boston-celtics

Celtic Sunrise: Should Marcus Smart stop shooting?

If so, what does that do to the rest of the offense?

by [url=https://www.sbnation.com/users/Jeff Clark]Jeff Clark[/url]@celticsblog Nov 21, 2017, 8:30am EST

Should Marcus Smart stop shooting? Usa_today_10427950.0

Should Marcus Smart stop shooting? Usa_today_10427950.0

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

I think we have enough statistical and circumstantial evidence to conclude that Marcus Smartis not very good shooting the basketball. In fact, you would be forgiven if you said he’s really bad at it compared to most NBA players. In fact, ...some have made the point that he might be the worst shooter in the NBA.
Per CBSSports

Marcus Smart is the worst shooter in the NBA, at least right now. Of any player averaging at least 10 shots a game, Smart has the worst field-goal percentage, league-wide, at 28.1 percent. Of all players with at least 1,800 shots in their career, Smart has the 57th-lowest mark in NBA history.

His shot is broken and I’m not sure if it will get any better.

Chris Mannix

@ChrisMannixYS

[ltr]Rival assistant coach on Marcus Smart's shot: "Lot of movement from catch to release. Starts it low then moves to almost behind his head. The movement means his release is constantly changing. There's no consistency."[/ltr]

6:04 PM - Nov 20, 2017

44 people are talking about this

Chris Mannix

@ChrisMannixYS

[ltr]Smart worked hard on his shot last summer, and shot well in the preseason. He's so good defensively, if he ever gets that shot right--look out.[/ltr]

6:06 PM - Nov 20, 2017

44 people are talking about this

On the flipside, everyone agrees that Marcus is a tremendous talent on defense. He’s a legit game changer on that side of the ball. It goes beyond that as well, he does a ton of positive things on the court (on both sides of the ball) that help the team get wins. In fact, he’s pretty famous for having a positive plus-minus stat line regardless of his shooting performance on any particular night.

In short, he’s a very, very good player to have on the basketball court and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.*

(*metaphorically speaking only, all love here)

That shot though...

If he never fixes that shot, this narrative is never going to go away. It will always define him as a basketball player. Great defender, great energy, great difference maker, ...can’t shoot.

To me, that begs the question. Should Marcus Smart just stop shooting the ball? I mean, isn’t the Brad Stevens golden touch all about maximizing each player’s strengths and minimizing their weaknesses? So why is Smart’s glaring weakness on display every night?

Well, it isn’t that simple.

The ball movement offense is predicated on spacing and keeping defenses honest by taking the shots given to you. For the most part Smart is taking wide open shots with time and rhythm. He’s just missing them (usually).

An interesting thing happens, however, when smart teams gameplan to specifically let Smart shoot (as happened last night). Defenders that completely abandon guarding Smart beyond the arc will stay at home on the other players and even clog up the lane with an extra defender/rebounder. They know that they have a very good chance of getting the ball back.

So again, if the spacing is not being helped by his shooting, perhaps he should take an Evan Turner approach and just stop shooting those shots. Or another example is Rajon Rondo, who has quietly gotten more effective in small sample sizes shooting the ball but clearly prefers not to.
I think the danger of that approach is the mental aspect. Shooting is a lot about confidence and if you admit to yourself and the world that you aren’t confident in your shot, you may never get it back. Right now Smart is still streaky and has won basketball games (in the playoffs no-less) with his shooting. If he abandons shooting altogether, that weapon is gone (perhaps forever).

I’m not even sure if there’s a way to tell him to just shoot fewer of those shots because it runs counter to the “shoot open shots” message and it also plants a seed of “no-confidence” in his head. So perhaps there’s a way that Stevens can adjust Smart’s role within the offense that puts him in more of a facilitator role or perhaps even “hides” him at times.

If it sounds like I’m talking myself into circles, that’s because I am. Marcus Smart is the biggest enigma in the league right now and he’s confusing much smarter basketball minds than mine.

So for the moment I think we’re going to have to accept the optics of Smart putting up 3-15 from the field with 8 assists and a +15 in plus/minus like he did last night.

bob

.

by **Phil Pressey** Tue Nov 21, 2017 1:13 pm

Smart doesn't need to stop shooting. He just needs to be told that if he is wide open all the time, it's because the defense is allowing it. He isn't Ray Allen running around making great moves to get open.

I was thinking about Evan Turner before reading this. He was the ultimate go to guy when all else had failed. Or Phil Pressey. Not many liked his game, but more often than not he did his job giving the offense a reshuffle or similar to a cup of coffee.

Smart has never been this bad or I don't remember it.

Brad and Smart should have a private one on one meeting in which they discuss this. We don't need to know. We will see the changes.

Turner was automatic with the mid range. We all know that shooting is about hitting close in first to gain rhythm, then one can push out.

It's not like Smart doesn't have better than average point guard skills. I don't mind when he heaves shots at the end of the 24 seconds clock. But last night was where he needed to run around a bit and keep the ball moving.

He needs to take better shots. He doesn't have the Rondo issue of missing free throws. He is not someone who should be taking wide open threes unless it is that corner shot he used to nail.

So take less shots. Concentrate on getting assists with few turnovers. Get to the free throw line. Develop a few shots. That post up move he does is pretty effective. Start shooting more traditional twos, not threes, if the defense lags off.

If he can hit free throws, he should be able to hit the mid-range. Brad's reputation is he puts all players in a position to succeed. He has them do what they do best.

This is no longer about Marcus Smart as potential scapegoat. This is about Brad and Marcus adjusting. If they want to keep winning, it has to be figured out.

Friends tell friends brutal truths. You left your fly open. There's a bit of chive caught in your tooth. That sort of thing.

Denial is not the answer.

We need Marcus Smart to become a borderline all-star to seriously contend for the title. It's that simple.

I think he is going to turn it around, and if not, if this persists, then it becomes the boy wonder coach's fault, imho.

We don't need to know details of Brad and Smart discussing his role for offense. This is the same issue when Antoine Walker would shoot us out of a game. At some point it becomes the coach who should be questioned.

But it's a 16 game win streak! I hate to sound like a whining ingrate. Evan Turner wasn't great all his years with Boston. It was his last year here in which he stopped with messy turnovers. I sincerely believe that Smart is perhaps the best defensive player in the NBA. It will be interesting to see when and what adjustments are made. Brad usually figures out issues sooner rather than later.

We do not need to know. We just need to see adjustments on the floor which were thought through behind the scenes.

That's my take. He is not this bad a shooter. You don't need everyone taking three pointers. Turner didn't. The key is to not embarrass Smart in public. Just make those adjustments. More post ups. More drives to the hoop. More from mid-range than way deep with threes. More team movement. He clearly has pg skills and should not be consistently putting up 1-15 or 3-12 type numbers.

No one likes to tell a friend they need to wipe their nose. It's clearly as if he has something stuck in his teeth, that sort of thing, and no one has the nerve to tell the friend what he needs to hear for his own good.

by **Phil Pressey** Tue Nov 21, 2017 1:14 pm

I changed my vote from other to In Brad We Trust.

by **NYCelt** Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:25 pm

No!

That would accomplish nothing.

Who's the writer? Chris Mannix? Does he know anything about basketball?

Let me explain it simply, and slowly, so you'll understand. Ready Chris? These are professionals, they know the fundamentals and have executed them at a higher level than the rest of us. If they couldn't succeed at an acceptable rate, they wouldn't be there. If Smart is ever judged to be so horrible he hurts the team, they'll deal with it. In the meantime, the one sure fire way that even us amateurs know to improve shooting is to shoot. To get yourself into a pressure situation, and take the damn shot. These are professionals, Chris, don't try this at home. Or maybe don't try writing about it. Hey, I got an idea! This guy's an NBA guard, his shooting's off so he should shoot less! And then what happens when the time comes he needs to be the guy taking the shot, huh Einstein?

Honestly. I love it when those that have never even approached the level of a professional start talking about things like the mechanics of an NBA players shot. Ooooh, you're very insightful! Was that shot part of his game that got him drafted into the pros? That puts him in the top percentage of those who have ever played the game. The shot's good enough to allow him to get him there, now the argument is he just needs to hit a higher percentage. And he'll do that by shooting less. Genius. Or was that imbecile?

Wanna question Smart's defense the next time he allows a basket? Have at it Mannix, you Wonder Boy.

Needed to say that. Feel better now.

Just Shoot It.

by **Phil Pressey** Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:45 pm

I agree, NY Celt, but Mannix actually provided the key data. This article was by Jeff Clark of Celtics Blog.

His shooting has gotten so bad that it is back to the days of Rondo or why can't Knoblauch throw a baseball ten feet.

He can't stop shooting. Rondo became useless because he couldn't hit free throws. Smart's offense is salvageable. Rondo would get afraid to drive to the hoop. Smart and Brad need to come up with counter-strategies because other teams are starting to challenge him. Like Hack-a-Shaq. Dropping off on Rondo. Going straight at Isaiah for points. We are now in the chess portion of the 2017-18 NBA season.

by **mrkleen09** Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:51 pm

Honestly - with all the crying and moaning about Smart out here, you would think they were on a 16 game LOSING streak.

by **beat** Tue Nov 21, 2017 3:30 pm

mrkleen09 wrote:Honestly - with all the crying and moaning about Smart out here, you would think they were on a 16 game LOSING streak.

+ 1

Heaven forbid we lose a game and he misses some shots. And he wasn't the reason the lead evaporated last night either. Sort of mathematically impossible if he finished the game a +15. If true then he was out there to get another lead.

That said when left out beyond the arc I would like to see him drive to the hoop a bit more. Then take a closer shot or kick it out to someone.

beat

by **sinus007** Tue Nov 21, 2017 3:51 pm

Hi,
With all due respect. Why some people use 14-15-16 wins streak as a heavy argument?
The goal for this team, correct me if I'm wrong, to win a championship - not 20 or 25 or 30 games in a row.
If a part (or parts) of the Celtics vehicle doesn't function properly it has to be fixed/improved now because come playoff-time all these win streaks won't count.
And I believe that Smart's shooting is one of those malfunctioning parts. I'm sorry but I don't know the solution. But what I know is that teams are and will be using it a la hack-a-Shaq.

AK

by **NYCelt** Tue Nov 21, 2017 3:53 pm

Phil Pressey wrote:I agree, NY Celt, but Mannix actually provided the key data. This article was by Jeff Clark of Celtics Blog.

His shooting has gotten so bad that it is back to the days of Rondo or why can't Knoblauch throw a baseball ten feet.

He can't stop shooting. Rondo became useless because he couldn't hit free throws. Smart's offense is salvageable. Rondo would get afraid to drive to the hoop. Smart and Brad need to come up with counter-strategies because other teams are starting to challenge him. Like Hack-a-Shaq. Dropping off on Rondo. Going straight at Isaiah for points. We are now in the chess portion of the 2017-18 NBA season.

Chuck Knoblauch; now there's a name from the past!

Poor guy had one of the worst cases of the yips; right up there with Steve Sax and Mackey Sasser. Had been among the best at one time, though.

I wouldn't put Smart in that bad of a category, however.

by **NYCelt** Tue Nov 21, 2017 4:02 pm

mrkleen09 wrote:Honestly - with all the crying and moaning about Smart out here, you would think they were on a 16 game LOSING streak.

Kleen,

I hear you.

Somehow what Smart has contributed to that winning streak gets ignored.

I think a fair question is, would we be on a 16 game winning streak without Smart's play? Impossible to say, but I would bet not. He's most definitely been a big contributor. He could shut his man down for an entire game, dole out 6 assists, and someone would write a piece complaining that he only went 1-for-3 from the corner with his eyes closed while standing on one foot. It's about that nonsensical.

Regards

by **beat** Tue Nov 21, 2017 4:12 pm

sinus007 wrote:Hi,
With all due respect. Why some people use 14-15-16 wins streak as a heavy argument?
The goal for this team, correct me if I'm wrong, to win a championship - not 20 or 25 or 30 games in a row.
If a part (or parts) of the Celtics vehicle doesn't function properly it has to be fixed/improved now because come playoff-time all these win streaks won't count.
And I believe that Smart's shooting is one of those malfunctioning parts. I'm sorry but I don't know the solution. But what I know is that teams are and will be using it a la hack-a-Shaq.

AK

please explain why statistically we are better (by a lot) when he is on the floor than when he is not.

Shooting is only one aspect of the game albeit it is important BUT there is far more to it than just that.

I seem to remember we won a championship with a poor shooter as PG who also (admittedly) took plays off on defense too.

beat

PS the bigger question for me about last night was why BIG Al passed up many open looks and only took 5 shots? ( he shot the same % as Smart too) 20% yet he too was a +15 when on the floor

by **sinus007** Tue Nov 21, 2017 4:38 pm

Beat,
I don't understand your first question about Smart being on or off the floor.
I didn't say anything about shooting vs any other aspects of the game.
I'd be very reluctant to compare this team with the 2008 team, let alone Smart to Rondo.
Differently constructed teams; RR was a much better passer then Smart, also he had excellent shooter (some of the best in the game).
As for your PS - very good question which I don't have an answer to but would love to have it.

AK

by **wideclyde** Tue Nov 21, 2017 4:41 pm

Absolutely NOT should Marcus Smart stop shooting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cannot emphasize this enough.

He may want to limit his shots to where he is always properly balanced and in rhythm. He also needs to adjust his thought process to not shoot longer shots when closer ones are available.

This guy is one of the main guys that makes up the backbone of our team. Yes, he is not shooting well right now but will get better (and, maybe even sooner rather than later).

Everyone on this board knows that this guy is busting his butt to shoot better. He is a pro's pro type of player. He is in a prolonged slump, but he will recover before the season is over.

Also, lets not look to find "issues" with just Smart when we are on a 16 game winning streak. The rest of the bench is also not shooting/scoring very well and even Al Horford only had 3 points last night. Teams win games and 16 in a row sure ain't bad.

by **Shamrock1000** Tue Nov 21, 2017 4:46 pm

Keep shooting Marcus. You will eventually break out of this slump.

by **dboss** Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:04 pm

There is no reason why Marcus Smart should stop shooting.

There is plenty of reasons why he should be more selective in the shots that he does take. The problem however is a layer or two below his 3 point shooting problems. One could suggest that maybe he should just shoot 2 PT attempts but this year he is shooting 27% on two point shots.

Now that the league is taking notice and since he has the ball in his hands quite a bit with the clock running down, the three pointer will be there for the taking. Unfortunately Rozier has yet to learn how to run the offense and his shooting has also been suspect so options to take the ball out of his hands and give it to Rozier are also limited.

Smart was a 29.5% shooter from the college 3 so the shooting issue has been with him for a long time. I was wrong because I actually thought that he had turned the corner and was going to be a much better shooter this year.

I think that Boston needs to do a better job in executing their offense by going away from Smart and getting other rotation players more scoring opportunities. For Marcus's part he should swing the ball more instead of throwing up bricks.

I have suggested on multiple occasions that Boston needs to add a shooter/scorer off the bench. We need someone off the bench to become the go to guy off the bench. Maybe you send Morris to the bench to help anchor the offense.

I think in games like last night that whatever impactful plays that Smart made it was negated by all the empty offensive possession. This is the tipping point as Smart seems to be playing on the edge.

dboss

by **mrkleen09** Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:11 pm

dboss wrote:There is no reason why Marcus Smart should stop shooting.

There is plenty of reasons why he should be more selective in the shots that he does take.

Agree 100%.

dboss wrote:I think in games like last night that whatever impactful plays that Smart made it was negated by all the empty offensive possession. This is the tipping point as Smart seems to be playing on the edge.

Disagree 100% and the numbers do not support your assertion. Last night Smart was a +15. So clearly, his presence positively impacted the team down the stretch and in OT.

by **beat** Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:12 pm

sinus007 wrote:Beat,
I don't understand your first question about Smart being on or off the floor.
I didn't say anything about shooting vs any other aspects of the game.
I'd be very reluctant to compare this team with the 2008 team, let alone Smart to Rondo.
Differently constructed teams; RR was a much better passer then Smart, also he had excellent shooter (some of the best in the game).
As for your PS - very good question which I don't have an answer to but would love to have it.

AK

When he's on the floor he has the opportunity and need to shoot when appropriate.

And even shooting poorly as a team we are better.

Hope that explains it somewhat.

beat

by **dboss** Tue Nov 21, 2017 5:21 pm

Shamrock1000 wrote:Keep shooting Marcus. You will eventually break out of this slump.

Break out to become...what? a below average shooter? This slump you mention may not be a slump but it is likely the lower end of really poor shooting from a player that quite frankly has been a below average shooter for a long time.

So yes he should keep shooting but do it more selectively. Keeping in mind however that improvement only reaches a level of below average for him.

dboss

by **Phil Pressey** Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:25 pm

It will click one of these days and everything goes back to normal or this can't go on forever without adjustments. I am on the same page as Sinus. No one is condemning Smart as a shooter, but we are finally on the big stage. It is time to tighten the machine.

The biggest issue is the bench. It's just not on Smart. Where have Rozier, Theis and Baynes disappeared to? Marcus has made a leap at point guard. He should concentrate on that. Eight assists was a good number. Maybe he could have shot 2-7 with 13 assists instead. Dallas is a miserable team. That should have been an easy win.

Marcus Smart is on tilt for shooting. This isn't condemning him. He should win the awards for defensive and worst shooting player of the month. We do need him no matter what. Holding teams to 94 points/game is a huge advantage and he's a big part of that.

by **worcester** Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:30 pm

This is not only a Marcus Smart problem. it is a coaching problem also. The Celts field four point guards. Kyrie, Marcus, Terry, and Shane. Kyrie had his game well developed long before coming to Boston. Terry and Marcus were new to the NBA when they arrived. What happened to their shooting? It certainly did NOT improve, and from inside they are horrific.

Marcus's inside shooting is .342%.
Terry's is .364%.
Shane's is .250%

Those are I think the worst inside shooting %'s in the NBA. All on one team. Ours. I do not believe in coincidences. That's a pattern. That is a coaching problem. These three players need some assistance. Marcus for example releases his inside shot ON THE WAY DOWN from the high point on his shooting arc. That's a recipe for shooting disaster. Someone shoot be coaching Smart out of this bad habit. Terry - I have no idea why he sucks so bad in close, but it's not for lack of elevation. He can soar and get inches away from the rim. I think he holds the ball too long, maybe to the point where he is also sinking before he lets it go. By that time the vector of the ball's downward ride with gravity must be counteracted by more muscle push upward. Poor training. poor practice. Danny, hire another special skills coach for these guys.

by **dboss** Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:42 pm

mrkleen09 wrote:
dboss wrote:There is no reason why Marcus Smart should stop shooting.

There is plenty of reasons why he should be more selective in the shots that he does take.

Agree 100%.

dboss wrote:I think in games like last night that whatever impactful plays that Smart made it was negated by all the empty offensive possession. This is the tipping point as Smart seems to be playing on the edge.

Disagree 100% and the numbers do not support your assertion. Last night Smart was a +15. So clearly, his presence positively impacted the team down the stretch and in OT.

I don't believe in the +, - stat.

by **dboss** Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:49 pm

worcester wrote:This is not only a Marcus Smart problem. it is a coaching problem also. The Celts field four point guards. Kyrie, Marcus, Terry, and Shane. Kyrie had his game well developed long before coming to Boston. Terry and Marcus were new to the NBA when they arrived. What happened to their shooting? It certainly did NOT improve, and from inside they are horrific.

Marcus's inside shooting is .342%.
Terry's is .364%.
Shane's is .250%

Those are I think the worst inside shooting %'s in the NBA. All on one team. Ours. I do not believe in coincidences. That's a pattern. That is a coaching problem. These three players need some assistance. Marcus for example releases his inside shot ON THE WAY DOWN from the high point on his shooting arc. That's a recipe for shooting disaster. Someone shoot be coaching Smart out of this bad habit. Terry - I have no idea why he sucks so bad in close, but it's not for lack of elevation. He can soar and get inches away from the rim. I think he holds the ball too long, maybe to the point where he is also sinking before he lets it go. By that time the vector of the ball's downward ride with gravity must be counteracted by more muscle push upward. Poor training. poor practice. Danny, hire another special skills coach for these guys.

Kyrie practices tough shots with either had. Simple two foot layups for example.

There is an explanation for both of their shooting woes. They are not good shooters. Marcus may have a head problem. Terry avoids contact on layups and drifts on his jumpers.

Dboss

by **worcester** Tue Nov 21, 2017 7:57 pm

Dboss, would you accept $200k from Wyc to coach thexe guys up?

by **dboss** Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:16 pm

worcester wrote:Dboss, would you accept $200k from Wyc to coach thexe guys up?

Only if they provide a body guard to protect me from Smart

by **worcester** Tue Nov 21, 2017 8:42 pm

You may need 3.

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Should Marcus Smart stop shooting?