Boston Celtics: Ranking the 3 biggest x-factors for Cs in 2021-22

Boston Celtics x-factor No. 1) Marcus Smart

For the first time in his entire seven-year career, Marcus Smart comes into the season with the starting point guard position being his to lose.

Be it the likes of Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas, and even Rajon Rondo there has always seemingly been a player on the roster that was viewed as being a better option to slot in at the one for the Boston Celtics.

Now, in 2021-22, Smart now appears to be the best option Udoka has at his disposal to run the show.

Throughout the majority of his career, the 27-year-old has predominantly played off-ball as the C’s shooting guard even though he came into the association slated to be the franchise’s point guard of the future.

Though just in spurts here and there, during the years the veteran has found himself serving at the one on several occasions where he has proven rather capable of properly running an offense.

Even during the first month of last season while Kemba Walker was out and/ or steadily getting reintegrated into the rotation, we saw Smart taking on more of a floor general role where he produced rather well.

Through the first 18 games of action, we witnessed the guard post some solid pr-game averages of 13.1 points, 6.1 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and half a block per game while guiding the hobbled Cs to a 10-8 record.

Now, with the upcoming season rapidly approaching, many are under the belief that Smart could put forth a career-best year, with the folks at Bleacher Report predicting that he’ll even finish as one of the better distributors in the association.

Predictions aside, it’s without a doubt a correct statement to say that Smart, who will now be manning the most important position in all of basketball for the ball club, is unequivocally the biggest x-factor for the Boston Celtics this year.