Marcus Smart on The Jump

[Captain_Caveman]

I know it is the offseason, but this board **** suuuuuucks lately.

[cloverleaf]

i kind of feel this could be a green font post though. I mean, nobody could really mean that, could they?

That poster seems to have something personal against Smart, implied that Edwards should get more minutes than him in another thread the other day.

Calls RW3 lazy over and over despite all the evidence being to the contrary as well. That above post is just par the course.

I loved last year’s smart. I don’t care for what Smart has been saying lately. I have a lot of concern he’s going to be a problem. I also think RW3 looks like he coasts half the time in summer league. Not exactly personal. I certainly don’t love it.

Yeah, Rob's first SL--at which he averaged 16.6 points, 18.1 rebounds, 3.3 blocks, 2.4 steals and 3.7 assists per 36--showed him to be a real slacker. I can't wait to see what he does when he plays harder!

[Big Joke Line]

What nobody is really admitting is that when the playoffs started, we got crushed by a more talented team with the best player. We didn’t “underachieve” against Bucks. Team got its ass kicked by a much better squad.

All the drama that happened all season didn’t help....but by the time playoffs happened it didn’t really matter. Kyrie’s no show after game 1 and Tatum/Rozier failing to play at the level of a year ago were huge problems. Ultimately, it was the inability to keep pace with Bucks high scoring that doomed the team.

If the team had been functional and cohesive....they could have won 58-60 games. And then lost to Bucks 4-2.
1. Bucks, Sixers and Toronto massively upgraded rosters. We thought we did....but didn’t.
2. Bucks added Lopez and Hill. Bledsoe had a full year to integrate. They got a legit good coach and played a great style of basketball.
3. Kyrie didn’t make us better. His ability as a closer never mattered against Bucks.
4. Hayward didn’t make us better.
5. Baynes was injured most of season. Theis wasn’t fully recovered from knee.

Was Kyrie’s ability as a closer even a positive in the regular season? Maybe it’s human nature or my nature to remember the losses more but I remember him missing more game winning shots and throwing the ball away in crunch time more than him closing out games.

I'll have to find the exact data, but I distinctly remember seeing that over the last two years, Kyrie was one of if not THE best close and late scorer in the NBA. His eFG% in those situations was off the charts, honestly probably at an unsustainable level.

I was referring specifically to last season as was the post I replied to.

[Gomes3PC]

I don't think he tailed off last year.

Edit - I checked quickly and it looks like he shot 56% on close and late shots last year, which is insane given how iso heavy and contested most of those shots must have been.

[return2glory]

Smart isn’t a team leader. He has issues getting his emotions under check. That being said, he is a solid locker room guy and he cares about the team and about winning.

He mentions Kyrie didn’t play up to his level. No ****. Then he says Kyrie wasn’t the only one. There were other guys that didn’t play well.

Ok Marcus. No one is disputing that. However, no other Celtic was saying during the season, it’s only regular season. Wait until playoffs, the Celtics will be fine because they have him on the team.

Kyrie talked trash, didn’t back it up. Then got exposed as a fake, a fugazi. Not to mention Kyrie turned out to be a liar, lying to Celtics ownership and season ticket holders.

And if Marcus wants to have Kyrie’s back, that’s his choice. But Marcus is no team leader and he doesn’t have to be with Kemba here.

[Big Joke Line]

I don't think he tailed off last year.

Edit - I checked quickly and it looks like he shot 56% on close and late shots last year, which is insane given how iso heavy and contested most of those shots must have been.

What about the turnovers?

[Taget]

People are jumping on Marcus? Really?

The party line the Celtic organization from Danny and Brad down on Kyrie was that the team was dysfunctional for a variety of reasons and it was not all Kyrie's fault. And that it just turned out to be a bad fit and they wish Kyrie well. Regardless of the truth and how much or how little of the blame belongs in Kyrie's lap that is the smart PR move. Don't burn bridges. Show the rest of the NBA and other potential free agents that the organization is professional and they'll take care of you in the door and out the door.

Marcus is on board with the party line. He also is a glue guy who has tried to develop relationships with everyone on the team. And those relationships continue even when players leave.

Marcus plays defense. Marcus does not embarrass the team. He's not the best offensive player though can at key times make some great plays. He was made a role player and has embraced his role and doesn't complain about it whether he is starting or coming off the bench. Sometimes he takes too many bad shots but he always has a +/- that makes it less of an issue than it would be for anyone else.

I'll take him on my team any day.

[Gomes3PC]

I can't wrap my head around these people continuing to bury Smart and Stevens for owning up to the dysfunction and taking blame for it (at least in part). Anyone thinking the issues last year were isolated to Kyrie are wayyyy off-base.

[GoCeltics123]

I can't wrap my head around these people continuing to bury Smart and Stevens for owning up to the dysfunction and taking blame for it (at least in part). Anyone thinking the issues last year were isolated to Kyrie are wayyyy off-base.

They weren't isolated to him, but there's a real chance that he was the biggest problem

[Curmudgeon]

We will find out how big a problem Kyrie was in about three months.

[Roland2000]

This whole anti Marcus Smart thing is stupid. Some psychotic moron on Youtube started posting crap about him and now everyone is jumping on board. This is the most difficult time of the year for basketball fans but let's not be silly. Marcus Smart is the heart and soul of this team. He's a true Celtic.

[24istheLAW]

I can't wrap my head around these people continuing to bury Smart and Stevens for owning up to the dysfunction and taking blame for it (at least in part). Anyone thinking the issues last year were isolated to Kyrie are wayyyy off-base.

Seriously. Leadership isn't crying to anyone with a mic that it's big bad Kyrie's fault, or pointing fingers. It's saying we as a team failed one another collectively, because that's what a T-E-A-M is all about. Collective responsibility for the result.

[Gomes3PC]

I can't wrap my head around these people continuing to bury Smart and Stevens for owning up to the dysfunction and taking blame for it (at least in part). Anyone thinking the issues last year were isolated to Kyrie are wayyyy off-base.

Seriously. Leadership isn't crying to anyone with a mic that it's big bad Kyrie's fault, or pointing fingers. It's saying we as a team failed one another collectively, because that's what a T-E-A-M is all about. Collective responsibility for the result.

They're doing the same thing Belichick does, which Pats fans slobber over. Never point the finger at a guy. Win as an organization, lose as one too.

[Parliament10]

Marcus Smart is the de facto leader of this team.
He's showing a lot of maturity.

I remember how some people didn't like Paul Pierce in the early years.
Look how that turned out.

[iliyanvs]

Lol, God save any team that has Marcus f***ing Smart as their leader. I remind you this is the same player who missed a few months of action, because he punched a bloody wall.
He is nothing more than a glorified bench player thats starting to be given way too much attention. Also, I don't see how passively bringing teams morale down, considering the fact you are maybe a bigger mess than them, is mature in time when everyone should be excited and motivated about the upcoming season.
Actually, he is becoming so toxic that he recently said that he isn't looking to be friends with his team on the floor, that it's all business. Like, who the f**k are you? Michael Jordan? I don't think so.

Marcus Smart is the de facto leader of this team.
He's showing a lot of maturity.

I remember how some people didn't like Paul Pierce in the early years.
Look how that turned out.

Sent from my CLT-L29 using RealGM mobile app

[Parliament10]

Lol, God save any team that has Marcus f***ing Smart as their leader. I remind you this is the same player who missed a few months of action, because he punched a bloody wall.
He is nothing more than a glorified bench player thats starting to be given way too much attention. Also, I don't see how passively bringing teams morale down, considering the fact you are maybe a bigger mess than them, is mature in time when everyone should be excited and motivated about the upcoming season.
Actually, he is becoming so toxic that he recently said that he isn't looking to be friends with his team on the floor, that it's all business. Like, who the f**k are you? Michael Jordan? I don't think so.

Marcus Smart is the de facto leader of this team.
He's showing a lot of maturity.

I remember how some people didn't like Paul Pierce in the early years.
Look how that turned out.

Sent from my CLT-L29 using RealGM mobile app

You're way off base. -- In any event, Smart is more mature, as time goes on.
And Jordan didn't win, until his 7th year.

We'll just Agree to Disagree, though.

[SmartWentCrazy]

People are jumping on Marcus? Really?

The party line the Celtic organization from Danny and Brad down on Kyrie was that the team was dysfunctional for a variety of reasons and it was not all Kyrie's fault. And that it just turned out to be a bad fit and they wish Kyrie well. Regardless of the truth and how much or how little of the blame belongs in Kyrie's lap that is the smart PR move. Don't burn bridges. Show the rest of the NBA and other potential free agents that the organization is professional and they'll take care of you in the door and out the door.

Marcus is on board with the party line. He also is a glue guy who has tried to develop relationships with everyone on the team. And those relationships continue even when players leave.

Marcus plays defense. Marcus does not embarrass the team. He's not the best offensive player though can at key times make some great plays. He was made a role player and has embraced his role and doesn't complain about it whether he is starting or coming off the bench. Sometimes he takes too many bad shots but he always has a +/- that makes it less of an issue than it would be for anyone else.

I'll take him on my team any day.

Its becoming quite clear the Celtics are actively trying to avoid slandering Kyrie in the media. Boston has a pretty awful reputation of burying players/coaches through the media after they leave [the worst recently being what John Henry did to Francona]. Im happy were avoiding doing that this year.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

We really doing this? I know it's August and things are slow around here, but getting mad at Marcus just because he continues to hold the young guys accountable is one of the worst takes I've read this summer. And this is coming from a guy who thinks Kyrie deserved the biggest piece of blame pie.

Marcus wasn't "sticking up for Kyrie" with his comments. He was holding EVERYONE on the team accountable, including himself and the coaches. I think that's a good message for everyone to hear right now, because it gives all of our guys something to think about this summer. Just because Kyrie, Rozier, and Morris are gone, it doesn't mean that everything will be fixed. Fact of the matter is that we still have guys on the team who want to prove themselves:

-Gord wants to prove that his injury hasn't ruined his career
-Tatum wants to be an All-Star
- Jaylen Brown wants to be one too, and will be playing for a new deal
- Kemba wants to show he's worth the money
- Kanter is playing for a new deal
- we've got a bunch of rookies wanting to show that they belong, etc.

In other words, we aren't completely out of the woods yet. Personal agendas can still **** this team over if they don't establish the tone early.

[Gomes3PC]

We really doing this? I know it's August and things are slow around here, but getting mad at Marcus just because he continues to hold the young guys accountable is one of the worst takes I've read this summer. And this is coming from a guy who thinks Kyrie deserved the biggest piece of blame pie.

Marcus wasn't "sticking up for Kyrie" with his comments. He was holding EVERYONE on the team accountable, including himself and the coaches. I think that's a good message for everyone to hear right now, because it gives all of our guys something to think about this summer. Just because Kyrie, Rozier, and Morris are gone, it doesn't mean that everything will be fixed. Fact of the matter is that we still have guys on the team who want to prove themselves:

-Gord wants to prove that his injury hasn't ruined his career
-Tatum wants to be an All-Star
- Jaylen Brown wants to be one too, and will be playing for a new deal
- Kemba wants to show he's worth the money
- Kanter is playing for a new deal
- we've got a bunch of rookies wanting to show that they belong, etc.

In other words, we aren't completely out of the woods yet. Personal agendas can still **** this team over if they don't establish the tone early.

Every team in the NBA has competing agendas. There will always be young guys trying to win minutes, vets trying to earn an extension or hit FA on a high note, stars looking to play with buddies, coaches looking out for their job, etc. etc.

[druggas]

We really doing this? I know it's August and things are slow around here, but getting mad at Marcus just because he continues to hold the young guys accountable is one of the worst takes I've read this summer. And this is coming from a guy who thinks Kyrie deserved the biggest piece of blame pie.

Marcus wasn't "sticking up for Kyrie" with his comments. He was holding EVERYONE on the team accountable, including himself and the coaches. I think that's a good message for everyone to hear right now, because it gives all of our guys something to think about this summer. Just because Kyrie, Rozier, and Morris are gone, it doesn't mean that everything will be fixed. Fact of the matter is that we still have guys on the team who want to prove themselves:

-Gord wants to prove that his injury hasn't ruined his career
-Tatum wants to be an All-Star
- Jaylen Brown wants to be one too, and will be playing for a new deal
- Kemba wants to show he's worth the money
- Kanter is playing for a new deal
- we've got a bunch of rookies wanting to show that they belong, etc.

In other words, we aren't completely out of the woods yet. Personal agendas can still **** this team over if they don't establish the tone early.

Every team in the NBA has competing agendas. There will always be young guys trying to win minutes, vets trying to earn an extension or hit FA on a high note, stars looking to play with buddies, coaches looking out for their job, etc. etc.

This is so true. That's where your GM and coach have to be strong enough to quell any uprisings.