Marcus Smart: The Lie?

The Boston Celtics organization and media have sold Marcus Smart to you as the team’s future cornerstone, a star player in the making. Their campaign has been waged on various fronts: “The Education of Marcus Smart,” his prominence in advertising, etc. And while this message may not seem as explicit to you as it has to me, it can’t reasonably be suggested the message hasn’t been being sent to us and that it doesn’t keep on coming. So, Celtics fans, have you bought into this narrative? And how does it hold up 15 games into Smart’s second year in the league?

We love Marcus’ dedication, competitiveness, and unrelenting defense. He plays exactly as you or I would if given an opportunity to suit it up for the Celtics, not taking a single second on the court for granted. Smart plays so hard I find myself covering my eyes at times, hoping this dive to the floor or into the stands won’t be the one to result in injury. I know I can’t be the only one. He might even be the first and only player I’ve ever wanted to give a little less effort, at least from time to time.

The driving force behind Marcus Smart’s fanatical investment in the game of basketball is his unquenchable thirst for victory. All NBA players want to win championships. But judging by the way Smart plays, he doesn’t just want to win titles. He wants to win every game, every battle for a loose ball, and probably anything and everything else even remotely related to hoops a person could think of….

Basketball arcade shooting? Definitely.

Basketball video games? Yup.

Pickup games against the little kids at his summer time basketball camp?

Yes, Celtics fans, Marcus Smart in all likelihood wants to win those, too.

There have been no players on a C’s roster as motivated to win as Marcus since the departures of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce — players whose drive to win and profound talents spearheaded the Celtics’ magical title run in 2008. What a year, what a year. Smart’s approach to the game is the same as these NBA legends. He has a fire burning inside that most teams can only dream of in their young players. How could Celtics fans not fall in love with Marcus Smart?

Put simply, Smart gets “it,” something many a talented player either takes time to figure out, or never does. Celtics fans don’t have to look far to find a big, fat example of a player who has struggled in this regard. If it weren’t for Jared Sullinger’s lack of discipline, of dedication, of give a crap, who knows how good he could be? I remember Bob Ryan having gone on record last season as saying Sullinger had the best chance of any player on the Celtics’ roster of becoming that star the team so desperately needs. And he’s been a pretty good NBA player thus far into his career, averaging about 11 points and 8 rebounds in 25 minutes a game, despite being 30 pounds overweight. The problem is, Jared might be great, but so far, he’s been settling for, well, pretty good. So don’t underestimate the importance of getting “it.” But what is equally as important is having “it.”

The other “it,” Celtics fans: talent.

This “it” is the only reason Jared Sullinger is in the NBA today. Say what you will about Jared, but he is talented. And with this, you see, we come to the only question there is about Marcus Smart. Is Marcus Smart talented enough to become that franchise cornerstone, that star — what the team and its media have already sold him to you as being?

Oct 28, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart (36) reacts during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden. The Boston Celtics won 112-95. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports /

I’m sorry, Celtics fans, but the answer is no. He’s not talented enough to become your team’s cornerstone. And he may not even be talented enough to remain in the league longer than a few more years, based on how he’s played this season. I mean, there might be a roster spot somewhere in the NBA for a power forward or center who is as offensively inept as Smart, but who excels on the defensive end of the floor. But a point guard? I doubt it.

I know what you’re going to say: Smart’s fingers were hurt earlier on in the year! Couldn’t you see they were taped? Yes, I could. I can also see that plenty of other players around the league have to tape their fingers up on occasion, too. But what I don’t see are any players with offensive numbers as terrible as Marcus’ have been.

And if taped fingers were such an obstacle for Marcus, why was he playing? If Brad and Danny, both of whom seem to be of sound basketball mind, knew Smart’s taped fingers were preventing him from being able to perform, why would he have been allowed on the court? A quick google images search of Reggie Miller, one of the great shooters in NBA history, shows that he either preferred having his fingers taped or simply played at a hall of fame level throughout his career in spite of this. At the least, taped fingers and shooting success aren’t mutually exclusive.

And, please, don’t bring up Marcus’ recent knee injury as an excuse — or anything else, for that matter. You know why, Celtics fans? Because there is no excuse for what I’m about to tell you….

Marcus Smart doesn’t qualify for ESPN’s rankings of the top 32 points guard in the NBA by overall field goal percentage because he’s not on pace to convert at least 300 field goals this season. What if he were, though? Where would he rank? That would be dead last, Celtics fans. The worst qualifying player is currently the Brooklyn Nets’ Jarret Jack, who was shooting a putrid .391% from the field before suffering a season ending knee injury. But what Smart is shooting makes Jarrett Jack look like the deadliest of snipers — an utterly shameful .321%, which is .070% points worse than Jack. Now, if you added .070% points to Jack’s field goal percentage, his current ranking would vault all the way from last to 5th, placing him ahead of the likes of superstars Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook.

You know what, we really shouldn’t say that Marcus is “shooting” .321% from the field. Saying that Marcus is “chucking” .321% would be more appropos.

But wait, Celtics fans, there’s more! Let’s take a look a Smart’s three point shooting, all by itself. Marcus Smart doesn’t qualify for ESPN’s rankings of the top 31 points guards by three point shooting, either, because he’s not on pace to make at least 82 threes. But if he were, his .217% would rank him last once again, this time .077% points worse than the next most awful shooter. Hold on, Jeff, if Smart can’t shoot, can he at least put his teammates in a position to score? Unfortunately, Celtics fans, he can’t. If Marcus qualified for ESPN’s point guard assist rankings, he would be averaging the 3rd fewest assists per game of any of the 79 qualifying players who have played as many minutes per game as he has.

I understand that the Celtics’ organization and media have a vested interest in growing the support of and belief in their team’s players, particularly one whom the team is as deeply invested in as Marcus Smart. After all, the Celtics took Smart with the 6th overall pick in the highly touted 2014 NBA draft. So, the organization and media really can’t be expected to do anything other than package him to us with the biggest, prettiest green bow on top they can come up with. The league is a business. Fans must tune into games and buy tickets and jerseys in order for it to survive. Thus, marketing has a natural place.

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I’m starting to think I’d like my money back on Marcus Smart, though. He’s fun to watch, sure. But he’s looking more like a bust by the day. And he’s certainly not the flourishing young star that was sold to me.

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