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Better Ball Handler: Marcus Smart or Terry Rozier?

By Joshua Bateman

Apr 19, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) attempts a shot against Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) and center Al Horford (15) in the first quarter of game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 19, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) attempts a shot against Atlanta Hawks forward Paul Millsap (4) and center Al Horford (15) in the first quarter of game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Looking at how Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier can have an impact as ball handlers

The Boston Celtics are in the process of settling their second unit rotation, and the biggest question remains who will be the primary ball handler. They lost Evan Turner, but they let him walk with all the confidence they needed in their back court depth. The problem with that depth is then their youth. The Celtics love what they believe Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier will become, they just need to figure out how quickly they can become true offensive instigators.

Both Rozier and Smart have proven that they are comfortable playing in a fast paced offense, and they certainly have the aggressiveness to maintain that whenever they have the ball in their hands. The biggest obstacle in both of their careers so far has been shooting, but it remains uncertain exactly how much that will impact how much time they get with the ball in their hands.

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Given how young and inexperienced both Smart and Rozier are, chances are it will be a committee approach to handling the ball. The Celtics have used their guards interchangeably, and there is no reason to believe that Stevens won’t use both options to their fullest. The Celtics lost Turner with the knowledge that they had the options they needed behind him, and they can take an even more dynamic approach to how their second unit is run.

Picking a better ball handler between Smart and Rozier is a difficult task, first and foremost because of their inexperience. It is also a difficult talk because of their contrasting styles. While both of them play with a similar aggressiveness, they take a different approach with that aggressiveness.

Both of them still need to do a lot before they can know what they will be doing with the ball in their hands, but it appears as though the Celtics can get a shoot first option in Rozier and a pass first option in Smart. Rozier has done a great job in the summer league and the preseason. He has proven that he is comfortable with the ball in his hands. He has also made it clear that he will constantly be in attack mode and will always be looking to make the scoring play.

The Celtics desperately need another point guard that they can trust to attack and generate offense with that approach. Turner always had to be a pass first point guard who would shoot with caution. With Rozier, that caution could be thrown out the window, and he could end up being a team leader in shot attempts.

In order to be a successful ball handler for the Celtics there always needs to be a certain degree of balance. The Celtics need their ball handler to be setting the pace and instigating ball movement, but early indications are that is not where Rozier will be at his best.

Apr 28, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Muscala (31) fouls Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier (right) during the second half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 28, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Mike Muscala (31) fouls Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier (right) during the second half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports /

Even in college, where he was more ball dominant than he will be with the Celtics this season, he only averaged three assists per game, with 14.5 shot attempts per game. When Rozier is attacking his main priority is scoring the ball, and that could be incredibly valuable to the second unit. Ball movement is more important for their overall success, but Rozier will be one of the only options in terms of creating without the ball movement.

It is still early and their could be adjustments on both sides, but it feels as though Smart is taking a much more balanced approach to being a ball handler. He is always in attack mode, but he is dedicating more energy to making the smartest play for the offense, rather then putting all his aggression into attacking right away.

The Celtics have given Smart a completely unwarranted green light throughout his career. They have desperately tried to get him to find his shooting form and he appears to have made mechanical improvements this season. Smart knows that he needs to capitalize on any opportunities that he has, but that could take a bit of a back seat when he is the ball handler in terms of scoring.

Smart also showed signs of this in college. Smart was much more of a pure point guard in college than with the Celtics (where he has spent a lot of time as a shooting guard), and he dished out a respectable 4.5 assists per game over his two years there. Rozier has always been more of a score first player and while Smart has not been purely pass first, he has looked more comfortable as a distributor.

As to who will be the better ball handler for the Celtics, only time will tell. Given their roles in the preseason both of them should be expected to play with the ball in their hands, and Stevens is in a good position with the options he has with the two of them.

Losing Turner could be detrimental to the second unit, but they have much more dynamic options now. They have players that are comfortable enough and they can impact the game in more ways than Turner could. Shooting will remain the biggest issue for both of them, particularly Rozier. If Rozier is going to be a shoot first point guard then he cannot afford to struggle. Smart, on the other hand, will be looking to make up for his lack of shooting in different ways as a distributor.

If Smart continues his struggles as a shooter, he can lean a lot more on the passing in order to make up for it. For Rozier, if he is not finding ways to score and generate offense for himself, he will not be trusted as a ball handler for long.

Next: Can Gerald Green Earn a Rotation Spot?

The Celtics are in a dangerous but promising position with Smart and Rozier. They desperately need one of them to break out in order to get the impact they need from their second unit. If, however, both of them adjust great to their new roles and are able to effectively run their offense, they will continue to have one of the deadliest second units in the NBA. The Celtics can feel comfortable about the defense they will get out of that second unit back court. If offensive trust can be added, they will have the most versatile second unit back court in the NBA.

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