Who Starts Alongside Kyrie Irving in the Backcourt?
By Alex Eddy
The Boston Celtics are heading into the preseason not knowing who will be their second starting guard
One of the biggest questions entering the season: With Avery Bradley no longer in a Boston Celtics‘ uniform, who will fill that void?
Bradley was a fan favorite in Boston. Bradley came in as a raw prospect known for his defense. His offensive game still needed work. He continued to work on his game year after year, and ultimately became one of the better two-way players in the NBA.
Bradley averaged a career high in points, rebounds, and assists per game in the 2016-2017 season. His hard work, dedication to improving his craft, production, and his leadership will be missed in Boston. Who will take his place?
Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown seem to be the likely candidates to start alongside Kyrie Irving. Both players bring their defensive abilities to the table, which becomes of utmost importance with Bradley and Jae Crowder no longer on the roster.
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The ultimate question becomes, will these two guys be able to bring scoring to the table at the shooting guard position? Additionally, will their perimeter shooting percentages improve? Smart and Brown shot 28.3 and 34.1 percent respectively from 3-point range last season.
Brown possesses the higher upside when it comes to scoring and perimeter shooting, but he is still a raw 20-year-old. Smart has primarily played off the bench in his first three seasons with the Celtics. So, both players have question marks, and both players are not natural two-guards.
You may even see Gordon Hayward and Jayson Tatum move down to shooting guard at times, especially considering their abilities to shoot the basketball. There are several “positionless” players on this roster, so there will be moving parts all over the place.
Smart brings tremendous energy off the bench, but at the end of the day, he is probably the best option to start in the backcourt. He has apparently had an unbelievable offseason, losing weight, and improving on his game.
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If Smart can develop into a consistent two-way player like Bradley, it will add a whole new dimension to this team. Remember, Bradley’s offense didn’t develop overnight, and Smart is still only 23, so there is still time. So, hopefully, Smart can become the new Avery Bradley for the Boston Celtics.