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Boston Celtics: 3 C’s that will make-or-break team’s championship potential

By Mark Nilon

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 28: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics dribbles during the second half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 28, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 28: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics dribbles during the second half of their NBA game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena on March 28, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. 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 Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /

Boston Celtics player No. 3) Marcus Smart

While it’s evident that, ultimately, this team will go as far as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will take them–for, again, they’re the two stars of this franchise–, teams in the modern-day NBA are heavily influenced by how well their lead guard can play and, for the Boston Celtics, Marcus Smart has the keys to run the show.

In his first season serving as the unquestioned starting one for this team the 28-year-old has been an absolute revelation, especially during their second-half surge.

Since the mid-way mark of the year, Smart has been a top-notch all-around contributor for the team, boasting quite efficient averages of 13 points, 6.6 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game on 45 percent shooting from the floor and 36.6 percent shooting from deep.

Producing at some of the most efficient rates of his career, we see the combo guard boasting a 25.7 assist percentage (career-best), 5.5 win shares (career-best), 3.6 defensive win shares (career-best), and a 1.7 defensive box plus-minus rating (second-best of his career).

Arguably the most underrated contributor from the team’s in-season turnaround, he has been similarly as impactful and effective on offense this year for the C’s as he has been on the defensive side of the ball, which is high praise indeed when considering the fact that some believe him to be the top candidate to take home the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.

For a large portion of his career, there have been many to criticize Marcus Smart’s overzealous desire to chuck up shots despite being off or forcing passes when they were not needed, and, frankly, these condemnations have, for the most part, been warranted.

However, now in year eight, it seems as though the Swiss-Army Man has significantly curbed both of these major problems and, if he can continue this level of play, he could very easily put to rest the infamous claim from sour fans stating that the Boston Celtics can’t win a title with Smart as their lead point guard.

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