Marcus Smart has a message for critics of his PG abilities

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/celtics-marcus-smart-has-message-critics-his-point-guard-abilities



Marcus Smart has a message for critics of his PG abilities



3H AGO

BY DARREN HARTWELL



If the Boston Celtics want to be serious contenders, they may need to find a playmaking point guard to pair with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

If you ask Marcus Smart, they already have one.

The longest-tenured Celtic has assumed the team's primary point guard role this season following the departure of Kemba Walker, and the results have been mixed: Smart's assists per game are actually down from last year (5.3 compared to 5.7), while Boston owns the NBA's 20th-ranked offense (107.7 points per game) with a pedestrian 25-25 record.

The Celtics' offensive struggles have led to speculation about Brad Stevens moving Smart prior to the Feb. 10 NBA trade deadline. But the 27-year-old believes he's fully capable of being this team's floor general.

Forsberg: It's decision time for the Celtics and Marcus Smart
"First coming out of college, I was a point guard," Smart said in a recent interview with The Athletic's Jay King. “It’s what I played. So it’s kind of funny to hear people say I’m not a point guard. In high school, point guard, led my team to two state championships. It’s funny hearing people say I’m not a point guard.

" ... I’ve been doing this my whole career and now people want to talk about I’m doing it more. It’s just like, ‘No. I’ve been doing it.’ You guys are just finally getting to see more of it because (unlike) in years past, I’m not coming off the bench, I’m not playing 20 minutes and I’m playing the point guard role now."


To Smart's point, the Celtics are at their best when he's in facilitator mode.

Boston is 12-6 this season when Smart attempts fewer than 10 shots and 10-13 when he puts up more than 10. In the team's biggest win of the season, a 53-point rout of the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, Smart had zero points on three shot attempts but dished out seven assists and was a plus-36.

That said, the C's have traditionally sought more offensively from point guards like Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving and Kemba Walker. With Smart shooting just 30.7% from 3-point range this season, you could make the case Boston needs a facilitator with more offensive punch to draw attention away from Tatum and Brown.

Smart apparently is well aware of that narrative, though, and is using the trade rumblings as motivation.

"My whole life I’ve been doubted. And I’m here. And I’m still around," Smart said. "And that’s just kind of how it’s been for me. I always bet on myself. And I love this team, this organization."

If Smart is still in Boston on Feb. 10, we'll have proof that the feeling is mutual.



Bob
MY NOTE: I'm on record inre Smart. You want my heart? Then give me yours.


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Smart is an OK point guard, but better suited to the two. If a solid point can be found he should move back to the two. If not, and a quality big can be brought in, he would be a fair option for another season at the point.

Smart's spot next season is contingent on who needs to get dealt to bring together a stronger balanced roster. If the front office feels the pressure to build something fast, Smart or Brown are next season's likely two-guard with the other being dealt to help create the balanced roster needed to contend.

MS needs to continue to become more 2007-08 Rondo-like. I'll take the 12 assists and single digit scoring every day. What will happen is the same thing that happened to Rondo and that is defenses will have to double up both J's as they are now scoring over 30 points each as they are assisted by Smart and that leaves you know who wide open down the lane for a lay up if the two J's give the ball back to Marcus. Then we'll see MS become the 3D Machine. 10 points and 10 assists implies at least 30 points.

You may step down. I have no further questions Your Honor.

db

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/01/marcus-smart-adds-a-new-layer-to-celtics-trade-talks-by-embracing-facilitating-role-heading-into-deadline.html



Marcus Smart adds a new layer to Celtics trade talks by embracing facilitating role heading into deadline


Published: Jan. 30, 2022, 6:15 a.m.


By Brian Robb | brobb@masslive.com



The most valuable trade chip that Brad Stevens is considering moving in the next two weeks is Marcus Smart in all likelihood. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are not going anywhere and league sources insist to MassLive that Robert Williams is off limits in trade talks barring being a part of a package for a star.

That leaves Smart as the next potential chip to move if Brad Stevens wants to make a meaningful change in the coming days. The veteran guard returned to the lineup this week after a six-game absence due to COVID and a thigh injury and already has heard his name thrown around in trade rumors quite a bit. The noise is very real, according to league sources. Boston had serious talks about moving the veteran guard at last year’s trade deadline and after a disappointing start to the 2021-22 campaign for the franchise, Smart’s name has resurfaced once more in talks as Stevens considered ways to best shape the roster around Brown and Tatum for the long-term.


However, there is a complicated wrinkle being added to those trade discussions in the coming days: Smart has played his best basketball of the season this week since returning to the lineup.

The point guard continued his strong stretch of play on Saturday night in New Orleans, dishing out a career-high 12 assists in Boston’s 107-97 victory over the Pelicans. The victory improved the Celtics to 3-1 since Smart’s return to the lineup, although it’s fair to note that all of those victories came against lackluster competition (Wizards, Kings, Pelicans).


Smart’s individual stats during that stretch aren’t eye-popping. He’s averaging 8.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in that run. However, he’s shooting an efficient 46.1 percent from the field and his plus/minus is a better indicator of just how good he’s been. Over the last four games, he’s a team-best plus-93, far and away the best number on Boston’s roster. He was a team-best plus-28 in Saturday’s win.


It’s fair to wonder how much credence to put into a stat lie that in such a small sample size but here are some promising trends within that span. The biggest one? Smart is embracing his facilitator role. He’s only attempted nine or fewer shots in all of those contests, the first time he’s done that all year long in four straight games. Why does that matter? Good things happen for the Celtics over the past two seasons when Smart embraces being a passer over taking open shots himself.


2021-22 Celtics record when...

Smart attempts 9 shots or less: 13-6

Smart attempts 10 shots or more: 9-13

2020-21 Celtics record when...

Smart attempts 9 shots or less: 12-6

Smart attempts 10 shots or more: 12-18

Smart talked about the focus on his facilitating role after Saturday’s win and how he’s trying to set things up for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on a night they combined for 68 points.


“Just trying to keep that pace up, so my job is just to get as many easy shots for them as possible,” Smart said. “So constantly challenging them to run with me whenever I have the ball. They do a good job of getting the ball, and if I’m taking off, getting it to me and following me because they know I’m going to give it back to them, and cutting as you’ve seen tonight a couple of times with Jaylen and Jayson, made a couple passes to them.”

This version of Smart has appeared at times throughout his career but it’s never really been sustained with him in a point guard role. As the numbers indicate, Smart far too often was happy to shoot himself to try to help the team which was not a good thing for the franchise in the long run as the splits indicate.

However, the version of Smart we’ve seen this past week could be exactly what Boston needs to unlock the best version of himself. However, it begs the question for Brad Stevens as trade talks ramp up in the coming days. With Smart building even more trade value with this type of play, is it a good opportunity to try to sell high? Or will Stevens become a believer that this version of Smart at point guard can co-exist well enough with Tatum and Brown, leading him to address other areas of the roster instead with deals?


The larger sample size of the past year and a half gives Stevens some reason to be skeptical of Smart and this group. However, the sense of urgency seems to be there now for the point guard to try to show this unit deserves a second chance.

“We’ve been undersold this whole season for ourselves, for the fans, for everybody else,” Smart said. “We know it, we’re still out here trying to fight. It’s not easy for us individually, collectively, but yeah we definitely have to start making that progress in the right way. We can’t win a game, lose a game, win two, lose two, we have to start showing that consistency.”

It’s too early to tell whether Smart can sustain this type of improved play against tougher competition in the next week. However, these performances add an extra layer to Boston’s trade talks as they plot out their best pot


Bob


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Smart is clearly fighting for his identity as the PG for the Celtics.

This is really the first year that his role as the PG has been in play.  

The Celtics have preferred high scoring PG's to the pass first PG.  None of the previous scoring PG's were particularly top end facilitators.  Kyrie had a career 6.9 assists with us one year.  

Marcus has tried hard to emulate the scoring mentality that he experience with IT, Irving and Walker.  But Marcus is not a high end scoring PG like those other players were.

At the beginning of the season and throughout most of the season, Marcus has continued to take and miss way too many shots to the detriment of the team.

Over the past few games we are seeing a pull back from him as his focus has become more as a facilitator and less as a competing scorer.  It's a significant change.  The sample size is small but if he really embraces that role I think he and the Celtics will be well served.

Marcus Smart does not want to be traded but he knows that the only way that does not happen is if he makes changes to the way that he plays on offense.  

Marcus is a politician.  

You need to see and hear his post game interview last night.  I was shocked.

He was at the interview rubbing his right hand and when asked about it he said it was from the picture frame incident.  He said he still has some glass in his hand and from time to time it bothers him and his hand gets numb but he is alright.  

Why would Marcus bring up the picture frame incident now?

The reason seems obvious.  If teams are listening and we know that stuff like that gets out, those teams may be less inclined to make a trade for him.  The picture frame incident is not something that you want to remind people about.  

Marcus is trying to enhance his value to the Celtics while diminishing his value to potential trade partners.

The next few games may be a defining period in Smart's tenure with the Celtics.

Yep, he's playing to the world.

I remember when the Celtics did one-on-ones with current Celtics and legendary ones (e.g. Tommy and Jayson, Jaylen and Satch) Smart's one was with Danny.  In that back-and-forth Smart actually thanked Danny, on camera, for not trading him.

Smart feels "he grew up in Boston".

I love Marcus Smart.  As far as I am concerned he is the most "pure Celtic" since Pierce/KG, and that's saying something when you include the Js, and I love that he wants to be here and is doing absolutely everything he can on and off the court to make sure he stays in green. Remember when Perk cried when he heard he had been traded to OKC? That's Smart. He might not cry but he is holding on for all he's worth and that makes me feel really, really good.




Bob


.

dboss wrote:Smart is clearly fighting for his identity as the PG for the Celtics.

This is really the first year that his role as the PG has been in play.  

The Celtics have preferred high scoring PG's to the pass first PG.  None of the previous scoring PG's were particularly top end facilitators.  Kyrie had a career 6.9 assists with us one year.  

Marcus has tried hard to emulate the scoring mentality that he experience with IT, Irving and Walker.  But Marcus is not a high end scoring PG like those other players were.

At the beginning of the season and throughout most of the season, Marcus has continued to take and miss way too many shots to the detriment of the team.

Over the past few games we are seeing a pull back from him as his focus has become more as a facilitator and less as a competing scorer.  It's a significant change.  The sample size is small but if he really embraces that role I think he and the Celtics will be well served.

Marcus Smart does not want to be traded but he knows that the only way that does not happen is if he makes changes to the way that he plays on offense.  

Marcus is a politician.  

You need to see and hear his post game interview last night.  I was shocked.

He was at the interview rubbing his right hand and when asked about it he said it was from the picture frame incident.  He said he still has some glass in his hand and from time to time it bothers him and his hand gets numb but he is alright.  

Why would Marcus bring up the picture frame incident now?

The reason seems obvious.  If teams are listening and we know that stuff like that gets out, those teams may be less inclined to make a trade for him.  The picture frame incident is not something that you want to remind people about.  

Marcus is trying to enhance his value to the Celtics while diminishing his value to potential trade partners.

The next few games may be a defining period in Smart's tenure with the Celtics.

Let me make sure I understand. You’re implying that Marcus brought up the hand incident so that other teams would lose interest and look elsewhere?

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:Smart is clearly fighting for his identity as the PG for the Celtics.

This is really the first year that his role as the PG has been in play.  

The Celtics have preferred high scoring PG's to the pass first PG.  None of the previous scoring PG's were particularly top end facilitators.  Kyrie had a career 6.9 assists with us one year.  

Marcus has tried hard to emulate the scoring mentality that he experience with IT, Irving and Walker.  But Marcus is not a high end scoring PG like those other players were.

At the beginning of the season and throughout most of the season, Marcus has continued to take and miss way too many shots to the detriment of the team.

Over the past few games we are seeing a pull back from him as his focus has become more as a facilitator and less as a competing scorer.  It's a significant change.  The sample size is small but if he really embraces that role I think he and the Celtics will be well served.

Marcus Smart does not want to be traded but he knows that the only way that does not happen is if he makes changes to the way that he plays on offense.  

Marcus is a politician.  

You need to see and hear his post game interview last night.  I was shocked.

He was at the interview rubbing his right hand and when asked about it he said it was from the picture frame incident.  He said he still has some glass in his hand and from time to time it bothers him and his hand gets numb but he is alright.  

Why would Marcus bring up the picture frame incident now?

The reason seems obvious.  If teams are listening and we know that stuff like that gets out, those teams may be less inclined to make a trade for him.  The picture frame incident is not something that you want to remind people about.  

Marcus is trying to enhance his value to the Celtics while diminishing his value to potential trade partners.

The next few games may be a defining period in Smart's tenure with the Celtics.

Let me make sure I understand. You’re implying that Marcus brought up the hand incident so that other teams would lose interest and look elsewhere?

Correct

dboss wrote:

Ktron wrote:

dboss wrote:Smart is clearly fighting for his identity as the PG for the Celtics.

This is really the first year that his role as the PG has been in play.  

The Celtics have preferred high scoring PG's to the pass first PG.  None of the previous scoring PG's were particularly top end facilitators.  Kyrie had a career 6.9 assists with us one year.  

Marcus has tried hard to emulate the scoring mentality that he experience with IT, Irving and Walker.  But Marcus is not a high end scoring PG like those other players were.

At the beginning of the season and throughout most of the season, Marcus has continued to take and miss way too many shots to the detriment of the team.

Over the past few games we are seeing a pull back from him as his focus has become more as a facilitator and less as a competing scorer.  It's a significant change.  The sample size is small but if he really embraces that role I think he and the Celtics will be well served.

Marcus Smart does not want to be traded but he knows that the only way that does not happen is if he makes changes to the way that he plays on offense.  

Marcus is a politician.  

You need to see and hear his post game interview last night.  I was shocked.

He was at the interview rubbing his right hand and when asked about it he said it was from the picture frame incident.  He said he still has some glass in his hand and from time to time it bothers him and his hand gets numb but he is alright.  

Why would Marcus bring up the picture frame incident now?

The reason seems obvious.  If teams are listening and we know that stuff like that gets out, those teams may be less inclined to make a trade for him.  The picture frame incident is not something that you want to remind people about.  

Marcus is trying to enhance his value to the Celtics while diminishing his value to potential trade partners.

The next few games may be a defining period in Smart's tenure with the Celtics.

Let me make sure I understand. You’re implying that Marcus brought up the hand incident so that other teams would lose interest and look elsewhere?

Correct

:>) oooooooook

We might have stumbled on to a winning formula, less shots for Smart and more for everyone else, especially 2 J’s. The balanced scoring of the Russell teams does not work with this team….

Always more than one way to skin a cat.  My favorite answer for this is the way Mike Ditka coached vs. Joe Gibbs.  Both got a title.  Two completely different ways/styles to coach a team and play the players.

I'm just glad we are making the tweak.  Again, we'll see tonight if we've learned anything against the best.  Not saying it's a must win without saying it's a must win, but...I'll be watching with high interest and a very critical eye tonight. Being 3-2 in this stretch vs. 4-1 is a huge difference. 3-2 is Hohumville. 4-1 with a win over the top team in the East is momentum building. I'm just sayin'!    

db