Why Marcus Smart should start at SG

[KGboss]

Not really..preseason is preseason just like summer league is summer league...too small of a sample size to determine anything.

I get the tiredness of this discussion though. Like dogs running in circles at a dog race trying to catch that proverbial bunny that they will never get.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

This board is becoming brutally painful to read at times.

**** blows right now

[shawn unkempt]

We're about 2 weeks away from having things to talk about. Hang in there boys.

[Parliament10]

Not really..preseason is preseason just like summer league is summer league...too small of a sample size to determine anything. .

IDK about that. Summer League is a lot smaller, in terms of samples. Especially since we've only be doing the Orlando one.

Preseason on the other hand, is against more bona-fide NBA caliber players. At least 3/4 of the personnel on the teams they face, anyway. More time to train, more spacing between games. More realistic, in terms of NBA play.

Let's see what the whole team does against that.

17 days and counting, 'til the first Preseason game. Tick Tock...

[NL41]

Not really..preseason is preseason just like summer league is summer league...too small of a sample size to determine anything.

I get the tiredness of this discussion though. Like dogs running in circles at a dog race trying to catch that proverbial bunny that they will never get.

And rave reviews from Smart's work on the USA Select Team is just ho hum and doesn't tell us anything. Any backup point guard can go toe to toe with the USA national team and more than hold their own. Let's see how Smart does against REAL talent, not scrubs like Wall, Beal, Kyrie, and Lillard.

[NL41]

Setting expectations for Boston Celtics rookie guard Marcus Smart http://www.celticsblog.com/2014/9/19/63 ... homa-state

[KGboss]

Not really..preseason is preseason just like summer league is summer league...too small of a sample size to determine anything.

I get the tiredness of this discussion though. Like dogs running in circles at a dog race trying to catch that proverbial bunny that they will never get.

And rave reviews from Smart's work on the USA Select Team is just ho hum and doesn't tell us anything. Any backup point guard can go toe to toe with the USA national team and more than hold their own. Let's see how Smart does against REAL talent, not scrubs like Wall, Beal, Kyrie, and Lillard.

Im a Smart fan as well so you need to relax a bit.

Stop attacking. Not a good look.

[LobCityRondo2KG]

I think Smart will start off coming off the bench.. But i think either AB or Smart would be ideal as a 6th man/ combo guard

[NL41]

Is it just me or does Smart look leaner than during Summer League?

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZvQ0qGvQFU[/youtube]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pa8XeARVSQ[/youtube]

[NL41]

http://asubstituteforwar.wordpress.com/ ... w-wiggins/

http://www.twcsportsnet.com/videos/2014 ... ay-23-2014

[NL41]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1316958&start=160

Post#177 Re: Marcus Smart comparisons
Mon Jun 23, 2014 10:53 am by OlDirtMcBert
He's the hardest competitor in the draft, from what I've seen. Smart by most accounts: lacks explosiveness, intelligence, handles, and shooting yet every time I watched him play he was slashing inside dunking in traffic, picking off lazy passes, hitting long jumpers, boarding over pivots, leading his team, and shutting down the drive. He shoots from the outside too often, so he's too much like Westbrook in the shot-selection department, but he's always the aggressor. At both ends. I don't get it; what isn't there to like?

The comparison I see most is Charles Barkley. Too fat for his position. Too short, also. Too slow. Handles too spotty. Too selfish and a head-case on top of all that. But look at how hard he plays...who else in this draft competes like that? Nobody that I see. Barkley was a bully like that. But, there were 4 or 5 guys in that draft the same way. How many are like that in this draft? Not 4 or 5, that's for sure. I think Smart's going to be the next big bully at his position. Barkley's position makes it a little different, but it's the matchup-problems that'll matter more than points. Smart is definitely the type of mash-up of size/talent that'll put opponents at his position on tilt. Look at the pgs in the league...how many can handle 230lbs that can move? He'll be an impact player, IMO. Matchup nightmare because SG is ridiculously weak right now. Smart can cause problems with guys like Harden or Curry because he's a brick wall. Positioning players always peak my interest more than the vert stats. DWade or Gerald Green?

[ballup]

You guys will note I list DeRozan in my original post listing the bigger shooting guards that Smart is better to suited to guarding than Bradley.

I've since researched the espn guesses at the depth charts of every team at the sg and sf positions. In doing so, I noticed that DeRozan was listed at SF, and DeRozan is taller and stronger than Ross.
http://espn.go.com/nba/team/depth/_/nam ... to-raptors

Either way, Smart is probably our best defender against DeRozan, not Bradley and probably not Green.

Just because Durant has had trouble with smaller defensive guards, doesn't mean that everyone else in the league would have the same trouble. TBH, not too many SFs are so great at punishing mismatches this upcoming season, so yes, Smart won't be at a disadvantage as frequently as I'd thought.

I thought you'd come around.

Yes, me meeting you half way means I completely agree with all the points you have stated, even the ridiculous ones

[NL41]

Obviously Smart shot 0-8 in the first pre-season game, mostly by taking five 3 pointers. But you also saw Smart do a lot of things that Bradley simply can't do.

Smart was quite poised with the ball for his first game ever, racking up 6 assists and only 2 turnovers.
We also saw that he's the same steal machine he was in college, and how he can impact the game defensively in ways that Bradley simply can't.

Smart started out summer league in much the same way, missing a lot of shots his first couple games while getting his feet wet, but making a big impact defensively. But after a couple games of getting comfortable Smart started shooting the ball much better. I expect something similar to happen now. His shot will come in a few games, and when it does, it's going to be hard to take him off the court, even when he is shooting pedestrian or having a downright off night.

But whether Smart takes the starting spot from Bradley or not, that spot is very much up in the air, with Thornton, Young, and Turner all jumping out of the gate while they continue to build their case for starting.

Bradley is a solid shooter when he picks his spots, and defensively he is best when guarding point guards. His new contract is chump change now that we know the salary cap will explode, and since we know that there will be more cap space and dollars than there will be talent to spend it on.

$8 mpy is now fair money for a quality backup, so there's nothing about that contract that absolutely compels Brad to start Bradley.

Anyway, the competition is fierce for that starting SG spot once Rondo comes back, and the preseason hasn't even warmed up yet.

Who do you like at starting SG at the moment?

[sam_I_am]

Right now Marcus should be the 4th string PG behind Rondo, Turner and Pressey. Rondo and Pressey may not be lights out shooters but at least they are a threat to drive to the basket. They actually need to be defended. Marcus absolutely cannot play meaningful minutes at SG except as a defensive stopper.

He obviously is a player and has an NBA ready body and is dominant defensively. But you just cannot start a guy at shooting guard who is a bricklayer from outside and has shown zero ability to get to the rim against bottom of the barrel NBA competition.

And let's not overblow the team USA hype. He didn't play on that team. He was a practice dummy whose defense was extremely useful to Coach K in getting the real team into shape. No way in hell a guy who can't shoot or make baskets actually gets selected on that team.

I really don't understand why the team is hyping and marketing him so much but they obviously believe in him. Maybe those who work closely with him see the qualities to be a solid shooter. But until he gets that reliable jump shot he is just another in the long parade of guys who could be special if they can develop an outside shot. He is too talented to be in NBDL but maybe he should spend a month there so he can launch a high volume of shots and learn to take it to the rim.

I mean James Young is a kid and is not nearly NBA ready and even when he is out of position or has shaky footwork, the ball finds it way into the net.

[DarkAzcura]

Right now Marcus should be the 4th string PG behind Rondo, Turner and Pressey. Rondo and Pressey may not be lights out shooters but at least they are a threat to drive to the basket. They actually need to be defended. Marcus absolutely cannot play meaningful minutes at SG except as a defensive stopper.

He obviously is a player and has an NBA ready body and is dominant defensively. But you just cannot start a guy at shooting guard who is a bricklayer from outside and has shown zero ability to get to the rim against bottom of the barrel NBA competition.

And let's not overblow the team USA hype. He didn't play on that team. He was a practice dummy whose defense was extremely useful to Coach K in getting the real team into shape. No way in hell a guy who can't shoot or make baskets actually gets selected on that team.

I really don't understand why the team is hyping and marketing him so much but they obviously believe in him. Maybe those who work closely with him see the qualities to be a solid shooter. But until he gets that reliable jump shot he is just another in the long parade of guys who could be special if they can develop an outside shot. He is too talented to be in NBDL but maybe he should spend a month there so he can launch a high volume of shots and learn to take it to the rim.

I mean James Young is a kid and is not nearly NBA ready and even when he is out of position or has shaky footwork, the ball finds it way into the net.

Still think you are putting way too high of importance on his shooting percentage thus far. Pressey ahead of Smart in the rotation? We are talking about the same Pressey who shot like 30% last year? Pressey was one of the worst shooters in modern NBA history to receive rotational minutes. If you really think the 6th pick and top attacking guard in college will play that poorly...I mean you are severely misjudging the talent here.

Also despite what you said during summer league and even now, Smart did drive to the rim when he wanted to. He seems like more of a reactionary player than advertised. He usually drives when the defense is off balance and hasn't forced anything yet. I guess it's fair to say he hasn't shown great driving ability against bottom of the barrel competition, but it's pretty clear he's been trying to maintain the flow of the offense over forcing things to the rim. I'm sure he could more than he has if he wanted to. I prefer the way he is playing right now. It'll help him more in the long term, imo. I don't want him to be Westbrook, who's basically a guy who doesn't look like is actually thinking things through out there. He's trying to be a PG out there and is sacrificing some of his offense for better or worse right now.

[lon3lytoaster]

Right now Marcus should be the 4th string PG behind Rondo, Turner and Pressey. Rondo and Pressey may not be lights out shooters but at least they are a threat to drive to the basket. They actually need to be defended. Marcus absolutely cannot play meaningful minutes at SG except as a defensive stopper.

He obviously is a player and has an NBA ready body and is dominant defensively. But you just cannot start a guy at shooting guard who is a bricklayer from outside and has shown zero ability to get to the rim against bottom of the barrel NBA competition.

And let's not overblow the team USA hype. He didn't play on that team. He was a practice dummy whose defense was extremely useful to Coach K in getting the real team into shape. No way in hell a guy who can't shoot or make baskets actually gets selected on that team.

I really don't understand why the team is hyping and marketing him so much but they obviously believe in him. Maybe those who work closely with him see the qualities to be a solid shooter. But until he gets that reliable jump shot he is just another in the long parade of guys who could be special if they can develop an outside shot. He is too talented to be in NBDL but maybe he should spend a month there so he can launch a high volume of shots and learn to take it to the rim.

I mean James Young is a kid and is not nearly NBA ready and even when he is out of position or has shaky footwork, the ball finds it way into the net.

Bradley is a brick layer who can't get to the rim and doesn't have a 10th of the passing and handling intangibles as Smart. So..

[SichtingLives]

It is true this board has gotten way ahead of themselves with Smart. I'm willing to give him time to develop while others are more content with being drunken soothsayers. He's a rookie with upside and already has all the G. Wallace intangibles (props to whoever pointed that out) but truthfully thats all he has right now. Making a few threes here and there and driving to the basket won't change that, he needs to develop his scoring game and that will take time.

Too many people invent an agenda and run backwards from it (or deny they ever created it outright) when they are clearly wrong. That's cowardly. Just take it on the chin, say "you know, maybe I was getting a little carried away" and nobody will care. But own it, don't deny or run from it because all these words don't disappear.

[DarkAzcura]

It is true this board has gotten way ahead of themselves with Smart. I'm willing to give him time to develop while others are more content with being drunken soothsayers. He's a rookie with upside and already has all the G. Wallace intangibles (props to whoever pointed that out) but truthfully thats all he has right now. Making a few threes here and there and driving to the basket won't change that, he needs to develop his scoring game and that will take time.

Too many people invent an agenda and run backwards from it (or deny they ever created it outright) when they are clearly wrong. That's cowardly. Just take it on the chin, say "you know, maybe I was getting a little carried away" and nobody will care. But own it, don't deny or run from it because all these words don't disappear.

True. I have no issues admitting that I was hoping Smart would bring some great foul drawing abilities to us his rookie year around draft time. I was hoping since he was a highish lottery pick that he may be able to give us that out of the gate, but it's looking like it may take a bit of time. After summer league, I started to think he might struggle a bit offensively ala Harden. Hopefully he can adjust a bit sometime during the season, though.

[sam_I_am]

Right now Marcus should be the 4th string PG behind Rondo, Turner and Pressey. Rondo and Pressey may not be lights out shooters but at least they are a threat to drive to the basket. They actually need to be defended. Marcus absolutely cannot play meaningful minutes at SG except as a defensive stopper.

He obviously is a player and has an NBA ready body and is dominant defensively. But you just cannot start a guy at shooting guard who is a bricklayer from outside and has shown zero ability to get to the rim against bottom of the barrel NBA competition.

And let's not overblow the team USA hype. He didn't play on that team. He was a practice dummy whose defense was extremely useful to Coach K in getting the real team into shape. No way in hell a guy who can't shoot or make baskets actually gets selected on that team.

I really don't understand why the team is hyping and marketing him so much but they obviously believe in him. Maybe those who work closely with him see the qualities to be a solid shooter. But until he gets that reliable jump shot he is just another in the long parade of guys who could be special if they can develop an outside shot. He is too talented to be in NBDL but maybe he should spend a month there so he can launch a high volume of shots and learn to take it to the rim.

I mean James Young is a kid and is not nearly NBA ready and even when he is out of position or has shaky footwork, the ball finds it way into the net.

Bradley is a brick layer who can't get to the rim and doesn't have a 10th of the passing and handling intangibles as Smart. So..

Lets stick to the facts. Rondo was a brick layer in 2007 at age 20. But he shot 49% overall. Marcus is a bricklayer and he has shot 20% in SL and 0% against the lowly 76ers.

[NL41]

Am I the only one who remembers that Smart was playing with a strained groin?

Am I the only one who realizes that Smart's focus as starting point guard in his first pro game was to get his teammates involved, which he did very well with 6 assists and only 2 turnovers in his first game?

Does anybody else remember that Smart played his first summer league game just as conservatively, and then in later games got much more aggressive attacking the hoop?

The condescension around here gets a bit much sometimes. Most people have no problem seeing the glass 3/4 empty when the glass is actually 3/4 full.

The bad mouthing of our players gets so bad that some people not only convince themselves that Smart is incapable of attacking the rim regularly, which is absurd, but a few even convince themselves that Smart only succeeded on the defensive side of the ball, and was worthless offensively.

Smart has 3/4 of a complete game in his very first game, and some try to tell us he only played well defensively. As if 6 assists and 2 turnovers while playing with composure in his very first game doesn't count as offense.

Maybe we should start calling passing and ball handling part of defensive play, so we can keep telling ourselves that Smart only showed he can play defense so far.