There's a whole lot to like about Marcus Smart. He's physical, he can pass, his defense is outstanding, he gets to the foul line.
His obsession with the 3-pointer, though, is already driving me crazy at an almost Antoine Walker-like level.
Can we stipulate that he is not a good 3-point shooter? Below 30 percent from the shorter college line both years at Oklahoma State. A sizzling 25.7 percent in Summer League, and 19 percent in the preseason.
There are many great guards who don't have great 3-point shots. Rajon Rondo, to cite one nearby example. Dwayne Wade, a future Hall of Famer. Given their lack of 3-point ability, however, Rondo and Wade choose not to throw up many threes. Smart's lack of shooting ability is not the issue.
The problem with Smart is that he doesn't seem to have the self-awareness to realize that he's not a 3-point shooter, and he hasn't had a coach tell him this. He chucked up seven 3-pointers a game in the summer league, a team-high and more than half his shots. He's taking 5.25 threes per game in the preseason -- 2.0 per game inside the arc -- second on the team to Thornton, and more than anyone on the Celtics averaged last year. He took more than five 3s per game in college too.
It's great that he's getting all this practice at 3-point shooting, and hopefully he'll get better at it, but can't he practice it in, you know, practice?
How much better of a player would Smart be if he forced the ball to the basket 5 more times a game, creating for others and/or getting to the line? I know his ability to finish inside is a question ... but it's mainly a question because he's rarely tried it so far. A lot more good things can happen when he drives then when he pulls up for three with 16 seconds on the shot clock. Why doesn't he see this? Is there any chance Brad Stevens mentions this to him?
Smart should be watching tape of Wade going to the basket and picking up phantom fouls four hours a day until he gets the hint.
