Marcus Smart: the Enigma
Marcus Smart gives the Boston Celtics one of the most unique players in the NBA, and no amount of missed threes will take him out of their future plans
When the Boston Celtics drafted Marcus Smart, they knew they were getting a flawed player. With anger issues that resulted in him going after fans, and egregious flopping that gave him a reputation even before he step foot on an NBA court, the Celtics knew they would have their work cut out for them in giving Smart what he needed to develop into a true NBA player.
Fortunately, Smart always had one thing that made it easy for him to play in the NBA, defense. Smart is one of the biggest guards in the league and if you’re sending them into a ring, Smart has a great case as the strongest.
Smart also came at a time when the Celtics did not have much talent. He was one of the first picks for this rebuild, and that gave Brad Stevens plenty of freedom to keep him on the court through his struggles.
Funny enough, Smart’s rookie season was actually his best shooting, but that is not what earned him a role in the following years. Amidst his wild and inconsistent offense, Smart brought the kind of defensive versatility that Stevens had never had at his disposal before, and he embraced it.
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In fact, Smart became a bit of a defensive blue print for the Celtics. They continue to look for player that can guard multiple positions, and that is the biggest strength of the defense to this day. Smart, however, continues to bring it to another level.
Guards cannot blow by him and bigs cannot push him around, you better believe that he will be more aggressive and more confident, and he swallows up most players that try to go at him. Defense alone ensures that the Celtics have absolutely no regrets with Smart, and will keep him as a main part of their future plans.
That being said, its been multiple seasons now and Smart’s shooting still has not come around, and yet his impact continues to grow.
In an NBA where shooting becomes more and more important, and on the team that has been and will continue to be one of the most prolific three point shooting teams in the league, Smart is separating himself from the rest of the league, and becoming one of the most unique players with the most unpredictable impact.
One of the most fascinating parts is that even though Smart still cannot be trusted to hit even 30 percent of his three point shots, he shoots with as much confidence as anyone. Some may say that this makes Smart unaware. Instead, that just means that Smart is both a lot more aware than we realize, and somehow more confident.
The physical tools are what allow Smart to already be one of the most feared defensive guards in the league, but his understanding of what this team needs is even more remarkable. Smart has learned how to become a distributor, because ball movement is the key to all their offensive success. He never hesistaes on shots because the Celtics play an offensive system where no one is supposed to pass up on those open shots.
Smart realizes that the Celtics are much better at accommodating missed open shots than passing up on open shots. Smart somehow manages to look like the most wild and out of control player on the court, while being more aware of what is happening and what is needed than maybe anyone other than Stevens.
They do not make players like Smart, and both he and the Celtics are still figuring out exactly how good he may end up being. The best part is that even if Smart never becomes a knock down shooter, he is the kind of player you want on a contending team.
For all of Thomas’ fourth quarter offensive heroics, Smart was right there with him with clutch defense. He is a leader off the court with his relentless passion, he is willing to make sacrifices like taking himself out of a game where he knows he is hurting his team, and it really is just impossible to give more effort on the court.
Smart is the reason the Celtics have a reputation of winning by working harder than their opponent, and always seem to win the 50/50 ball battle.
On a team where three point shooting has continued to grow as their most offensive weapon, one of their worst shooters is establishing their identity and has put them in a position to surprise a lot of people as overachievers.
In an era where it is looking more and more like shooting is going to be the most essential skill for any player, Smart is doing everything and anything he can to make sure he has an impact without the shooting.
Next: Celtics Need to Play the Long Game
Smart has one more year on his current contract to elevate his shooting. The only difference that should make, however, is how much money. The Celtics have a lot of guards, but Smart does the kinds of things that you will not find anywhere else. Smart is going to get paid by the Celtics and if he does not start shooting that just means the Celtics should get some incredible value on him.