Boston Celtics: 3 Cs candidates for Most Improved Player

MIP candidate #3 for the Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart

Unless Brad Stevens plans on bringing in a point guard to take up Kemba Walker’s mantle, Marcus Smart will be the Celtics starting point guard. He has a fair amount of experience in this realm, especially in the playoffs, so I have no doubt Smart will have a smooth transition into his more prominent role.

In this new role, Smart will need to keep himself in check more often. His ball time will increase, but that doesn’t mean the ill-advised threes and wild passes need to go up. They need to decrease. Smart will have to embody the definition of a “pass-first point guard” and sacrifice his scoring for the team’s success.

His passing will be the difference-maker for him, and I’m confident that he will improve in that regard. With Udoka on the sidelines, Smart’s unpredictable scoring nature won’t be a problem. Instead, Smart will need to direct that scoring energy into his passing game. His creativity will open up the floor for the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will significantly benefit from it.

It’s not to say Smart won’t need to score for the Cs, but with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum taking another leap as offensive players, Smart’s scoring output does not need to exceed 12 points per game. All Udoka will need out of Smart is to hit open threes, make the right pass, and make it miserable on the other team on the defensive end.

There will still be games when he goes off for 25 points, but you should expect five points, 15 assists, and four steal games from Marcus Smart this upcoming season. Smart has always been a team player, and there is a well-documented record of his love for winning.

With a coach like Udoka, who is not afraid to stand up to Smart, he will fall in line and do what the Celtics need.