Marcus Smart World vs USA IN GAME

[positivitize]

I love how people are happy to interpret Smart sucking at the RS game as evidence of Smart sucking, but how eager they are to dismiss things like "Summer League" when Smart does well.

His summer league stats were pretty bad.

And why can't someone say Smart sucked in the game last night but still has great potential? No one said he generally sucks.

Sorry but Smart really sucked in the first half.

For what it's worth, I agree with you--Smart was awful last night. And I understand that sucking in a half =/= sucking in general. I still think it would be disingenuous of you if you were to argue that the overarching tenor of your posts doesn't regard Marcus more harshly than most do.

*shrug*

We both want the Celtics to succeed, and we both want Smart to do well. We just express it differently. _{And you're wrong}

Have a nice day.

[acieEarl]

I actually wanted to watch and see how Smart would do. After the first 5 minutes I saw it was that kind of game and turned it off. Looks like I made a wise decision.

[crimson_stallion]

Honestly guys, I think LarBrd and KeepRondo have fair points here.  I also think the others have fair points. 

Personally, I feel like the Smart-critiques and the Smart-obsessionists sit on two opposite extremes.  One group will flame Smart every time he plays bad, and point out every small flaw when he plays good.  The other group will worship him as a future superstar every time he plays well, then make excuses for him every time he plays badly. 

Personally, I think the reality is somewhere in the middle.

On one hand, this game doesn't suit Smart's style of play.  He's not a very fast end-to-end transition guy - throwing up a million shots a game isn't his play style, and it doesn't make the most of his skill set.

Scoring isn't Smart's strongest point, and with all the things he does out there (defenese, rebounding, chasing loose balls, etc) he is much more valuable to a team than this performance indicates.

On the other hand, it's true that he shot 1-8 not only in a game that puts no value on defence, but also a game in which about 80% of the guys on the court have no defensive talent.  Guys like Wiggins, Parker, Lavine, Okafor, etc are horrendous defensive players and the overall level of defensive talent in this game is well below what you would face in a normal, competitive NBA game. 

If this was the only time Smart shot so poorly, I'd say fine.  But he shows this very same offensive inconsistency in proper, regular season games too.  One day he'll shoot well, the next day he'll shoot 1-9.  It's a legitimate weakness in his game that I believe he will improve a lot on, but it's a weakness none the less.  You can't just pretend that being an All-Star game makes his inability to make shots any less concerning.  It's not like the All-Star games have a different sized rim to make shots harder to make...a rim is a rim, and when there is practically no defence it's hard to defend his complete in ability to make shots. 

It's a very legitimate concern, and it's the reason he has been unable to steal the starting spot off Bradley...so it's relevant.  Crowder is the perfect example - he has been given a bigger role on the team this year and more minutes, and the main reason for that is that he's proven he can be depended on to make out side shots consistently.  Not once every 5 games, but every night.  Smart needs to get to that level before he can take the next step. 

Smart is a player with many great attributes and a lot of potential, but he's also a player with some significant flaws.  Chances are that he will become a really good player one day - probably a borderline All-Star.  But I doubt he'll ever be a true star/superstar.

[max215]

Smart seems out of place.

Maybe it was the airball

Probably because Smart is a scrappy defensive minded player in a shoot-first crowd pleasing game.

Still it's pretty glaring how much offensively better guys like Parker, Mudiay, Wiggins, Levine, Okafor Etc are compared to Smart.

Smart is gonna have to be a knock down three point shooter in this league to match these guys.

While there is no denying this, Smart was the only player (one could add Hood and Capela to this category) in the game who plays meaningful role on a terrific team. Sure, these guys are better at hitting uncontested threes, but I'd argue that Smart is a much better basketball player than most of his contemporaries.

[crimson_stallion]

Smart seems out of place.

Maybe it was the airball

Probably because Smart is a scrappy defensive minded player in a shoot-first crowd pleasing game.

Still it's pretty glaring how much offensively better guys like Parker, Mudiay, Wiggins, Levine, Okafor Etc are compared to Smart.

Smart is gonna have to be a knock down three point shooter in this league to match these guys.

While there is no denying this, Smart was the only player (one could add Hood and Capela to this category) in the game who plays meaningful role on a terrific team. Sure, these guys are better at hitting uncontested threes, but I'd argue that Smart is a much better basketball player than most of his contemporaries.

Schroeder?

Sorry, I didn't watch the game, so I'm not sure if he actually was in the game or not!

[max215]

Smart seems out of place.

Maybe it was the airball

Probably because Smart is a scrappy defensive minded player in a shoot-first crowd pleasing game.

Still it's pretty glaring how much offensively better guys like Parker, Mudiay, Wiggins, Levine, Okafor Etc are compared to Smart.

Smart is gonna have to be a knock down three point shooter in this league to match these guys.

While there is no denying this, Smart was the only player (one could add Hood and Capela to this category) in the game who plays meaningful role on a terrific team. Sure, these guys are better at hitting uncontested threes, but I'd argue that Smart is a much better basketball player than most of his contemporaries.

Schroeder?

Sorry, I didn't watch the game, so I'm not sure if he actually was in the game or not!

Don't believe so, he's a third year player.