Hardwood Houdini
Fansided

Boston Celtics: Three Improvements Marcus Smart Can Make Next Season

By Travis Babcock

CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics looks on after being defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Six of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 25: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics looks on after being defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game Six of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Quicken Loans Arena on May 25, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next

For the Boston Celtics players, the NBA off season is all about improvement. Here we take a look at three ways that fifth-year guard Marcus Smart can improve heading into the season.

 [Editor’s Note: This article is the fifth installment in a series of posts we will run here at Hardwood Houdini as the Boston Celtics prepare for the upcoming season.

In this series, we will detail three improvements that every Boston Celtics player could make this season in order to reach another step in his career and make the team better. Here are the articles in the series we have already run:

Can Semi Ojeleye gain confidence in his shot?

Can Aron Baynes build on his postseason shooting success?

How Terry Rozier will take the next step as a point guard

Will Guerschon Yabusele find a role with Boston?]

Marcus Smart

When the Boston Celtics selected Marcus Smart with the sixth overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, they felt confident in the player that would soon become an integral piece of the franchise’s rebuilding process. The fiery point guard out of Oklahoma State wasted no time forming his identity with the team as a tough-nosed, bull-headed competitor. Smart’s bulldog mentality resonated with the team’s fan base, as he quickly became a fan favorite.

While the effort and passion were immediately apparent from day one, the production on the court was not. The original expectation was to slot Smart in as a starter after Rajon Rondo’s departure left a void at the point guard spot. It quickly became apparent that this was not to be.

While the defensive ability was undoubtedly there, the offensive part of his game lagged significantly behind. For his rookie season, Smart managed 7.8 points per game in 67 regular season appearances (38 starts) while seeing 27 minutes of floor time per contest.

Fast forward four years and Marcus Smart has fully established himself as the sixth man of this Celtics squad moving forward. He has gained absolute trust and total respect from both his teammates and coaching staff due to an unmatchable effort and a can-do attitude. Most would call Smart the ‘heart and soul’ of this Celtics team. The ‘glue guy’, if you will.

Marcus Smart is highly regarded amongst his peers as an elite on-ball defender, capable of matching up with guys a foot taller than him. A typical possession in his world consists of picking up the opposition’s point guard full court, switching onto a 6-foot-9 forward, and finishing it up by ripping down a big-time board over a 7-footer.

Nobody questions Smart’s defensive capabilities. It is the sheer lack of ability on the offensive side of the ball that makes him one of the NBA’s most unique and oft-times frustrating individuals. This aspect of his game is what has haunted Smart his whole career. If Marcus can overcome the multitude of deficiencies in his offensive game, he will be well on his way to unlocking his full potential as a highly productive two-way talent.

Home/Celtics News