Author Topic: Marcus Smart - that important to the team  (Read 5657 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2015, 05:44:52 PM »

Offline Big333223

  • NCE
  • Tiny Archibald
  • *******
  • Posts: 7477
  • Tommy Points: 736
I think Smart's leadership and defense are important but it's only two games and both were against opponents looking for revenge. The C's should've played better in both games but let's not jump the gun on Smart's level of importance just yet.
1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2015, 05:48:30 PM »

Offline LarBrd33

  • Robert Parish
  • *********************
  • Posts: 21238
  • Tommy Points: 2016
I don't blame two losses by a .500 team on one player getting injured who arguably was the team's worst starter.

We'll win some and lose some this year.   We had 5 losses before Smart's injury.  I'm sure it requires adjustment and we'll lose his defense, but in theory the offense should be better without him.

Smart's our best long-term asset and a great defensive guard, but he was really struggling offensively.

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2015, 06:18:29 PM »

Offline mctyson

  • Rajon Rondo
  • *****
  • Posts: 5087
  • Tommy Points: 372
I don't blame two losses by a .500 team on one player getting injured who arguably was the team's worst starter.

We'll win some and lose some this year.   We had 5 losses before Smart's injury.  I'm sure it requires adjustment and we'll lose his defense, but in theory the offense should be better without him.

Smart's our best long-term asset and a great defensive guard, but he was really struggling offensively.

It's not specifically about wins and losses, it's about how they happened (horrendous defense).  That is the Smart effect.

I think Stevens needs to go back to Turner-Bradley starting, the IT-Turner.  Use Hunter religiously.

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2015, 06:26:26 PM »

Offline LarBrd33

  • Robert Parish
  • *********************
  • Posts: 21238
  • Tommy Points: 2016
I don't blame two losses by a .500 team on one player getting injured who arguably was the team's worst starter.

We'll win some and lose some this year.   We had 5 losses before Smart's injury.  I'm sure it requires adjustment and we'll lose his defense, but in theory the offense should be better without him.

Smart's our best long-term asset and a great defensive guard, but he was really struggling offensively.

It's not specifically about wins and losses, it's about how they happened (horrendous defense).  That is the Smart effect.

I think Stevens needs to go back to Turner-Bradley starting, the IT-Turner.  Use Hunter religiously.

Marcus Smart wasn't going to prevent Paul Millisap from dropping 25 and 9 on us... Hawks are a good team... I don't blame a blowout loss to last year's top Eastern Conference team on one role player.   I also don't think Marcus SMart is the reason Brook Lopez dropped 23 and 10 on us... though I suppose he would have slowed Jarett Jack a bit. 

I think our defense had some epic performances the likes of which I had never really seen before.  Some poor defensive performances were inevitable with or without Smart.   We weren't going to maintain that. 

I'm sure losing Smart changes the gameplan a bit, but I'm not blaming two losses to talented teams on him being gone.

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2015, 06:57:28 PM »

Offline Big333223

  • NCE
  • Tiny Archibald
  • *******
  • Posts: 7477
  • Tommy Points: 736
I don't blame two losses by a .500 team on one player getting injured who arguably was the team's worst starter.

We'll win some and lose some this year.   We had 5 losses before Smart's injury.  I'm sure it requires adjustment and we'll lose his defense, but in theory the offense should be better without him.

Smart's our best long-term asset and a great defensive guard, but he was really struggling offensively.

It's not specifically about wins and losses, it's about how they happened (horrendous defense).  That is the Smart effect.

I think Stevens needs to go back to Turner-Bradley starting, the IT-Turner.  Use Hunter religiously.

Marcus Smart wasn't going to prevent Paul Millisap from dropping 25 and 9 on us... Hawks are a good team... I don't blame a blowout loss to last year's top Eastern Conference team on one role player.   I also don't think Marcus SMart is the reason Brook Lopez dropped 23 and 10 on us... though I suppose he would have slowed Jarett Jack a bit. 

I think our defense had some epic performances the likes of which I had never really seen before.  Some poor defensive performances were inevitable with or without Smart.   We weren't going to maintain that. 

I'm sure losing Smart changes the gameplan a bit, but I'm not blaming two losses to talented teams on him being gone.
As I wrote above, we need to be careful attributing these two losses to Smart, but I do think his presence has an effect on the team defense in a huge way. It's not just about his man, its about the intensity that he brings onto the floor every night and how that affects the rest of the team. Would Millsap have gone for 25 and 9 with Smart on the floor? Maybe. But Smart's impact on defense goes beyond his own man-on-man defense.
1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986, 2008

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2015, 07:00:00 PM »

Offline TheFlex

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2791
  • Tommy Points: 367
I'm sure losing Smart changes the gameplan a bit, but I'm not blaming two losses to talented teams on him being gone.



Even Lionel Hollins is laughing.


Draft: 8 first rounders in next 5 years.

Cap space: $24 mil.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dkcleague/

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2015, 11:20:01 PM »

Offline IDreamCeltics

  • NCE
  • Bill Walton
  • *
  • Posts: 1401
  • Tommy Points: 140
I don't blame two losses by a .500 team on one player getting injured who arguably was the team's worst starter.

???Huh???

Is anyone other than you arguing that Smart is the team's worst starter?  He's the best defensive player on one of the NBA's top defenses.

Smart's defensive effort changes the complexion of every game.  He wears down opposing guards, gums up the opposition's offensive flow, and makes his teammate's defensive deficiencies less of a factor.  I'm not saying Smart is the best starter in the NBA, or even the best defensive player, but his impact on the games is completely undeniable.  He covers the best offensive guard every game.  Some guys have a perfect jumpshot (ie James Young) and some guys outwork you from tip-off to the final buzzer.  Obviously Smart is the latter, but I don't see how you could make any argument other than that the Celtic's have built their entire defensive identity around this guy.   


 

 


     

 

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #22 on: November 25, 2015, 11:37:32 PM »

Online SHAQATTACK

  • James Naismith
  • *********************************
  • Posts: 36703
  • Tommy Points: 2951
Yup

Need him to be better than a .500 team

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #23 on: November 25, 2015, 11:48:23 PM »

Offline Yenohb

  • Jrue Holiday
  • Posts: 345
  • Tommy Points: 73
Celtics right now is in top 5 in the league in forcing turnovers and scoring off of them. Our offense basically is somehow tied up on our defense. Now remove arguably our best defensive player and what do you expect would happen? Our offense took a hit 'coz our defense is not that elite anymore without Smart. We cannot rely on halfcourt basketball to win games since it is not our strength(We don't have a Superstar on the team right now).

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #24 on: November 26, 2015, 12:13:55 AM »

Offline LarBrd33

  • Robert Parish
  • *********************
  • Posts: 21238
  • Tommy Points: 2016
I'm actually curious... do any advanced stats (defensive rating?  +/- ? PER?  etc) actually back up the idea that Marcus Smart is the key difference between being a world-beater and a team that barely defeats Philly?

We were 7-5 with him.  1-2 without him.  I get that the timing suggests his absence is the main reason we started struggling... is  there anything that backs it up beyond bad timing?

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #25 on: November 26, 2015, 12:19:53 AM »

Offline LarBrd33

  • Robert Parish
  • *********************
  • Posts: 21238
  • Tommy Points: 2016
Celtics right now is in top 5 in the league in forcing turnovers and scoring off of them. Our offense basically is somehow tied up on our defense. Now remove arguably our best defensive player and what do you expect would happen? Our offense took a hit 'coz our defense is not that elite anymore without Smart. We cannot rely on halfcourt basketball to win games since it is not our strength(We don't have a Superstar on the team right now).
That makes some sense.  Our defense leads to offense.  But Smart's offense has been horrible so far this year. 

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #26 on: November 26, 2015, 12:19:56 AM »

Offline TheFlex

  • Jim Loscutoff
  • **
  • Posts: 2791
  • Tommy Points: 367
I'm actually curious... do any advanced stats (defensive rating?  +/- ? PER?  etc) actually back up the idea that Marcus Smart is the key difference between being a world-beater and a team that barely defeats Philly?

We were 7-5 with him.  1-2 without him.  I get that the timing suggests his absence is the main reason we started struggling... is anything that backs it up beyond bad timing?

I'm with you on this one. Smart is a legitimate defensive stud. He has defensive quarterback potential as 1, or a 2. Freakish stuff. He might be the second coming of Ron Artest at the guard spot. But there's only so impactful one can be if they're so poor offensively. Smart has had one special offensive night, a couple of other good offensive performances, and the rest of his games consist of ice cold nights or missed games.

I'm not personally down on Smart, I think he has All-Star potential. Offensive consistency will come with time. Don't get it twisted though. We had one good quarter against Brooklyn, as CBS said, and one good quarter against Dallas. That's 6 out of Smart's last 8 quarters before going down that Boston was playing bad basketball.


Draft: 8 first rounders in next 5 years.

Cap space: $24 mil.

https://www.reddit.com/r/dkcleague/

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #27 on: November 26, 2015, 12:30:16 AM »

Offline tarheelsxxiii

  • Don Nelson
  • ********
  • Posts: 8593
  • Tommy Points: 1389
Match-ups change considerably when Smart is in. That's probably the biggest factor. IT and AB benefit a lot from him -- mask IT's deficiency and play to AB's strength as an on-ball defender (Smart guarding the 2). Crowder too, just in a different way. It's simple.

Obviously there's other stuff going on in the locker room, though, contributing to the current suckfest. In another thread, I pointed to IT, based on crap that happened during last game. Just a guess. But his issues would obviously affect others. Roster is mostly comprised of guys that relied upon others for their production and/or are a product of their environment.
The Tarstradamus Group, LLC

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #28 on: November 26, 2015, 12:38:11 AM »

Offline rocknrollforyoursoul

  • Satch Sanders
  • *********
  • Posts: 9658
  • Tommy Points: 323
I've been skeptical that Smart is in any way integral to the offense, but now I see how it makes sense that his defense helps lead to more turnovers and easy buckets for Boston.

That said, if your team's offense is built on defense—and on one defender in particular—there's something seriously lacking with the offense. If it can't consistently generate points in any other way besides its defense, the team's not going to go far.
"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, 'All right, then, have it your way.'"

"You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body."

— C.S. Lewis

Re: Marcus Smart - that important to the team
« Reply #29 on: November 26, 2015, 12:46:58 AM »

Offline Maurice98

  • Sam Hauser
  • Posts: 164
  • Tommy Points: 36
I'm actually curious... do any advanced stats (defensive rating?  +/- ? PER?  etc) actually back up the idea that Marcus Smart is the key difference between being a world-beater and a team that barely defeats Philly?

We were 7-5 with him.  1-2 without him.  I get that the timing suggests his absence is the main reason we started struggling... is anything that backs it up beyond bad timing?

I'm with you on this one. Smart is a legitimate defensive stud. He has defensive quarterback potential as 1, or a 2. Freakish stuff. He might be the second coming of Ron Artest at the guard spot. But there's only so impactful one can be if they're so poor offensively. Smart has had one special offensive night, a couple of other good offensive performances, and the rest of his games consist of ice cold nights or missed games.

I'm not personally down on Smart, I think he has All-Star potential. Offensive consistency will come with time. Don't get it twisted though. We had one good quarter against Brooklyn, as CBS said, and one good quarter against Dallas. That's 6 out of Smart's last 8 quarters before going down that Boston was playing bad basketball.

That reminded of Westbrook. :)