https://theathletic.com/3700379/2022/10/24/marcus-smart-boston-childrens-hospital-innovation?source=user-shared-article
Wasn't ready for my office to get dusty this early. Thanks for sharing, and my sympathies to you and yours.
Quite possibly, but it's worth noting that sometime late next year (barring injury) he'll pass Don Chaney for 16th on the Celtics all-time list in terms of games played. Why is that significant? Everyone who played more games for the Celtics than Chaney is up in the rafters already. Smart is signed through 2026 and will likely end up just outside the top 10 in games played (assuming he's not with the Celtics after that and is moderately healthy until then). If the Celtics win a title, he'll have a decent shot. Likely no all-star appearances, but the vocal leader of a title team with a DPOY award and multiple appearances on the all-defense team? Maybe.
If they win a title with him as key contributor, and he plays 12-15 years with the Celtics, I can see it.
It appears that the left hand is a real weapon inside, and to my eyes, it is a foundational piece for his improved FG% from inside.
Yep, bully ball the opposing PG. Driving into the lane & scoring or kicking out is the best offensive version of Marcus. He hasn't settled much for early 3s while being guarded.
If we consider Luka a guard, then I would disagree with this. But Smart is definitely one of the best. Who else? Maybe Booker?
Ben Simmons circa 2020 could be in the conversation however (1) I don’t know if he is currently considered a guard and (2) this season he is not very good at putting the ball in the basket.
I still have nightmares about Jrue posting up everyone at will in the second round last year.
Smart keeps up Post efficiency + Asst/TO efficiency + Celtic wins >>> he'll get All-Star talk (but he'll never get the nod)
Yea obviously it's not a comp, since there is no offensive comparison between Luka/Smart
My favorite example of this from that video is the one where the pick results in a switch so that Luka has Bol Bol guarding him at the three point line and Luka decides to back him down into the paint and show Bol his post moves.
Smart did this consistently at OSU to take advantage of his size/strength. Once he got to the league he could no longer muscle guys or finish as easily as he lacks lift in traffic. Over the past year or two I’ve noticed him becoming more comfortable and more able to identify matchups that he can exploit in this manner.
Good point on Smart hitting his prime.
There’s some good analysis out there that this is the real reason players hit so many home runs in the steroid era, i.e. the strength obviously helps, but lots of guys are strong, so the real advantage for some guys was that it takes so damn long to really learn to hit, so guys could keep playing once they had whereas it used to be that by the time they had it down, they no longer had the physical abilities.
The thing that stands out to me is how much he's improved his foul-drawing since he first came into the league. He used to ham it up and act like he got shot all the time, and over time has learned the spots where fouls get called, particularly navigating screens and in the post, and how to sell the contact while maintaining believability.
