# The Marcus Smart thread



## E.H. Munro

*The Marcus Smart Splooge Thread*

Smart was chosen for the USA Basketball Select Team this summer (essentially the practise squad that Team USA uses during tournament prep) and has, apparently, been opening a lot of eyes...



Sam Amico said:


> One player making an impression: Celtics rookie guard Marcus Smart, and he's not even really trying out for Team USA. Instead, the No. 6 overall pick in the June draft is a member of the Select Team -- which has been put together for the purpose of pushing national team candidates in practice. But Smart has more than held his own while playing with and against the likes of Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers) and Derrick Rose (Bulls).





Bobby Gonzalez said:


> I did manage to watch the point guards a bit. Damian Lillard was disappointing, and *there was a stretch where both Marcus Smart and Victor Oladipo of the Select Team flat-out took it to Wizards teammates John Wall and Bradley Beal*...While there is a point guard battle going on with the national team, the Select Team had young point guards who also did some damage today, further stressing that the future of the point position in the NBA is in good hands with Marcus Smart and Trey Burke.




__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/494313326940131328

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/494223802385969152

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/494223682034614272

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/494223669682782208

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/494223902319861760

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/494501235169300480


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## Floods

*Re: The Marcus Smart Splooge Thread*


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## RollWithEm

*Re: The Marcus Smart Splooge Thread*



Floods said:


>


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## Bogg

So, Boston's future is an enormous question mark and I'm not sure if Smart will even still be here in March, but it's been hard to not like him so far. Plays defense like he has something to prove and seems to have grown up quite a bit after a rough childhood. Let's hope this is sticky'd at the top of the board a couple years down the line while he's making all-star games. 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/11/03/rookie-marcus-smart-appreciates-homecoming/ViX3FX69Aenmv9bIAQe2BN/story.html 



> DALLAS — Coming home carried special significance for Marcus Smart. Not only was he able to distribute 30-plus tickets for Monday’s 118-113 Celtics’ loss to the Mavericks, he visited the home he purchased for his mother in his hometown of Flower Mound.
> 
> Smart spent some time at the home Sunday evening, although his mother has yet to move in because the home was recently purchased. It was a special moment for the 20-year-old, who credits his mother, Camellia, for helping him survive an arduous childhood.
> 
> 
> Smart has reiterated the main focus of this trip was to notch victories, but he couldn’t help but reflect on fulfilling a dream for his mother.
> 
> “She picked out an awesome place,” said Smart, who finished with 7 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in 24 minutes and 36 seconds. “I love it. She did a good job. I got my own room, the whole upstairs is mine. It’s crazy. I looked at my mom and she was smiling from ear to ear. I just felt proud.”
> 
> There is a sense of pride in Smart, who endured a successful but rocky tenure at Oklahoma State before becoming the sixth overall pick in June’s draft. His mother attended the Celtics’ draft press conference and gushed about her son.
> 
> “It’s probably one of the biggest accomplishments as a young man, give your mom what she always wanted and to take care of her,” Smart said. “She’s taken care of you all those years and make her happy. It’s a blessing.”
> 
> His career began splendidly with a strong performance in the season opener against Brooklyn, but in his first game in his home state Saturday against Houston, Smart struggled, going 0-for-7 from the field in 12 minutes.
> 
> On Monday, Smart hit a clutch 3-pointer to bring the Celtics to within 3 points in the fourth period, converted an improbable one-handed putback of a missed shot, and whipped a behind-the-back pass for an assist.
> 
> “It amplifies things, you want to bring that energy, you want to keep that energy up,” Smart said of playing at home. “I love it when my family comes to watch because when I was growing up they really weren’t there to watch because they were always busy or couldn’t afford to, so they’re all coming out tonight.”


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## RollWithEm

Can't wait to see how this kid evolves after the Rondo trade.


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## Bogg

Eh. "The Rondo Trade" might wind up being "The Roy Hibbert Trade" or "The Al Horford Trade". There's a reason I haven't bought a Marcus Smart jersey-shirt yet. Ainge is gonna take whatever the market gives him, whether it's picks and prospects for Rondo or a fringe all-star for Smart.


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## Basel

*Marcus Smart set for MRI on ankle after leaving game on a stretcher*



> BOSTON -- Celtics rookie guard Marcus Smart was carted off with a left ankle injury early in the fourth quarter of Friday night's 101-98 win over the Indiana Pacers.
> 
> X-rays on Smart's ankle were negative, a source told ESPN's Jeff Goodman. The team said Smart would have an MRI later Friday night.
> 
> Smart appeared to step awkwardly on the foot of Indiana's Lavoy Allen and immediately grabbed his left ankle after crashing to the floor. Team doctors attended to him on the court before a stretcher was summoned. His leg was immobilized and he then was taken to the locker room, giving a thumbs up as he was wheeled off.
> 
> "It was really scary and then, obviously, he was writhing in pain, so that makes it even more scary," coach Brad Stevens said.
> 
> "We're hoping it's a sprain, but we don't know that. So obviously a great deal of concern for him, No. 1. And hopefully he can get back sooner rather than later because he's really playing great basketball, and I'm sure it's really disappointing to be out five games into your rookie year, even if just for a little bit of time. That's what we hope it is."
> 
> Stevens did say he liked the way his team rushed to check on its fallen teammate.
> 
> "I'm glad to be part of [this team]," the coach said. "I'm glad to be a part of a team that feels like that."
> 
> A chant of "Marcus Smart" filled the Garden as Boston players stood solemnly around Smart.
> 
> "It was very difficult; you hate to see a teammate go down, especially when he's playing well," forward Jeff Green said. "Marcus is a soldier, though. He's going to get himself back together quick. I know he's going to work hard to get back. Tough loss for us."


http://espn.go.com/boston/nba/story...ston-celtics-carted-possible-lower-leg-injury


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## Basel

He's out 2-3 weeks.


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## Bogg

Basel said:


> He's out 2-3 weeks.


Which is _way_ better than it could have been. Sprain and a bone bruise is just fine by me after watching him roll that ankle in slow motion a couple times. Given how tough the opening schedule is, he can take a full month or more if that's what he needs to get healthy.


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## RollWithEm

Basel said:


> He's out 2-3 weeks.


Really good news for the Celtics and Smart's career. I'd much rather be Smart than Rubio right now. That's for sure.


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## Bogg

Smart came back in very limited minutes last night, but was clearly not 100%, in related news, he's been assigned (along with Young and Powell) to the Red Claws for tonight's game. Should be a good chance to see how he looks in extended minutes. The D-league streams all their games online for free, for anyone interested in getting a look.


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## letsgoceltics

KG would have loved Smart


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## Bogg

letsgoceltics said:


> KG would have loved Smart


Oh, definitely. I think the biggest difference between the two, in the terms of personality, is that while they'd both run through a wall to get a win, Smart actually appears to be fairly popular with his peers, while KG's a guy that very few players actually liked (essentially only his teammates who were also wired like him).


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## Bogg

Merged the two Marcus Smart threads we had going. Also, Smart's hurt again, although he doesn't sound like he's slated to miss as much time to injury this go-round. 

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2014/12/celtics_notebook_marcus_smart_bit_by_injury_bug_again



> This is rapidly becoming the most snake-bitten Celtics rookie class in memory.
> 
> Not long after it was announced last night that James Young would miss a minimum of two weeks while he rehabbed a subluxated right shoulder, Marcus Smart went down for the second time in just over a month.
> 
> The rookie point guard, who returned five games ago after missing 10 to a severe left ankle sprain, went back to the same leg last night with a strained left Achilles’ tendon. He suffered the injury while drawing a charge in the second quarter, and left after only four minutes on the floor.
> 
> Smart has probably grown to loathe Fridays. He sprained the ankle during a Nov. 8 game against Indiana, also on a Friday.
> 
> From a team perspective, the most promising news this time is that Smart is expected to miss less time. Tests weren’t scheduled as of last night, with the reasoning that Smart should be reevaluated after a night of rest.
> 
> “Strained Achilles on the same foot as his ankle, is what I was told. I don’t know what a strained Achilles means from a long-term standpoint, but I know that (team physician) Doc (Brian) McKeon said that he should be relatively quick healing but he didn’t feel comfortable sending him back in tonight,” said coach Brad Stevens.


Really gonna be tough for Smart to get any sort of rhythm going if he's in and out of the lineup all year.


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/01/21/thinking-that-celtics-marcus-smart-has-bright-future/Zz3qeZjYSb8iu5qsudPBbM/story.html



> It’s difficult to view the positives when the NBA franchise with the most championships and whose fanbase still travels well — most recently exemplified by the large contingent Monday at Staples Center for the loss to the Clippers — is playing .333 ball.
> 
> The Celtics are 13-26 entering Thursday’s matchup in Portland, having lost 12 of 16 games since trading Rajon Rondo to the Dallas Mavericks. And while Boston went into Tuesday’s play just three games back of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, it’s likely the Celtics are headed for a second consecutive draft lottery and another premium draft pick.
> 
> Team president of basketball operations Danny Ainge stresses the importance of attracting a high-caliber, established player to foster the team’s resurgence, and the development of 20-year-old rookie Marcus Smart has taken a splendidly positive turn after a rough, injury-filled beginning.
> 
> Smart’s numbers are modest — he is eighth among NBA rookies in minutes per game at 22.0, nearly 11 less than leading Rookie of the Year candidate Andrew Wiggins — but his improvement over the past several weeks has been the most impressive aspect of what is becoming another forgettable season in Boston.
> 
> A player who was tabbed as a defense-first strongman with shooting deficiencies is turning into a dependable 3-point shooter. After missing 19 of his first 28 3-pointers this season — in addition to all eight of his attempts in his one-game NBADL stint — Smart is 29 for his past 68 from beyond the arc, a sparkling 42.7 percent.
> 
> For nearly the past decade, the Celtics dealt with a skilled point guard in Rondo who was brilliant with the pass but unable to stretch the floor because of his erratic jump shot. What’s more, Smart’s 35 3-pointers are nine more than Rondo converted in any one season.
> 
> Entering Tuesday’s games, Rondo made just 118 3-pointers in his entire career (541 games). The Celtics believed for a while they may have the same issues transforming Smart into a dependable outside shooter, but those concerns have dissipated.
> 
> “Marcus is probably playing as well in his role as he has all year,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “He’s been in a lot of games at the end, especially games he’s playing well. He would probably say that he’s worked more deliberately and consistently than ever before. That’s obviously an emphasis, we talked about it at the beginning of the year. We thought coming in his shot was better than his percentages and we continue to think he’ll make shots. Balance is a big deal and shot selection in a big deal.”


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## Bogg

Another nice write-up on Smart in the Herald today...

http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/celtics_nba/boston_celtics/2015/01/marcus_smart_being_groomed_for_leading_role_with_celtics



> Before he jumped back on the conveyor belt that has carried players in and out of the Celtics locker room this season, Jameer Nelson was a talker.
> 
> Two days after the Dec. 18 trade that brought him from Dallas to Boston, Nelson stood up in front of his new teammates and offered to lead. Later, when it became obvious he had no place in Brad Stevens’ plan, the 32-year-old point guard didn’t retreat.
> 
> He spoke up about disappointment with his evaporating role, but Nelson also tried to balance out his personal gripes with positive acts. Stevens recalled one video session where Nelson directed the discussion with a group of young teammates.
> 
> Nelson spoke to general silence. Phil Pressey and Kelly Olynyk are habitually quiet. James Young is too new. And the fledgling leader of this group — Marcus Smart — is still more of an observer.
> 
> But Smart absorbed everything from Nelson that day. The Celtics drafted the rookie point guard based largely on his projection as a leader. He wasn’t as polished or skilled as some players taken later, but no one was tougher, more committed to physically dominating whomever he guarded, or better suited to rallying teammates.
> 
> On this day, though, Smart watched. He weighed Nelson’s willingness to share against the veteran’s unpromising situation. There was a lesson to learn just in the way Nelson wanted to help.
> 
> “He wasn’t playing, but he’s still in there trying to talk to us, pointing out what we need to do to win games,” said Smart. “Just shows how much he loves the game. Although as a competitor you want to play *— and I’m sure he wants to play — he’s able to stay focused. It just shows the leadership that he has. That’s why he’s been so long in this league.”
> 
> ...
> 
> Smart already has something over Rondo at a similar age, maybe even now. The rookie’s confidence isn’t punctured by a bad shooting night. He often shoots better in the fourth quarter, has a knack for making important shots, and doesn’t hesitate to follow up ugly jumpers with a late-game money ball from the corner.
> 
> This gumption with the ball stems from natural fearlessness. The afternoon of Dec. 31, Smart wasted no time in jumping off the floor and lunging at Sacramento’s big center, DeMarcus Cousins. Smart had backed into the excitable King with a hard box-out after pushing through a pick. Cousins responded by throwing him to the floor.
> 
> Nelson, a peacemaker, immediately jumped in with another lesson — one that temperamental stars like Cousins may never master, and even Smart has already learned the hard way. Smart served a three-game suspension at Oklahoma State last year for going after a Texas Tech season ticket holder named Jeff Orr, who allegedly called him a racial slur.
> 
> “What I saw was him about to react, and I didn’t want him to react,” Nelson said of the Cousins incident. “No reason to. There’s no reason to lose money. It was obviously a tough situation because he wanted to react. If I see any of my guys about to get into an altercation, I try to prevent it.”
> 
> Rookies will listen to a warning about lost money.
> 
> “I’m glad Jameer grabbed me,” said Smart. “He was just kind of telling me, it’s not worth losing money over it, man. You’ve worked too hard to get that money. There’s no reason for you to give it back. Just don’t retaliate. You did what you were supposed to do. You played hard. (Cousins) couldn’t take it, you got under his skin, and you got him off the court just by playing hard. Don’t let that affect you. Just keep playing. (Nelson) was telling me stay away from it, no matter what goes on on the court.”


More than anything, this article now has me second-guessing Ainge's decision to salary-dump Jameer in the Nate Robinson trade, since Jameer apparently got in Smart's ear in a very positive way (in an impressively short time). Good to hear Smart's growing up quickly, though - he could be a big part of what they build going forward.


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/02/09/marcus-smart-development-progressing-with-increased-playing-time/cLzm96IVteTuBKanqKEq0O/story.html



> Smart has taken on an increased role since the December trade of Rajon Rondo, and it has escalated considerably of late, with Smart averaging 37.8 minutes over the last four games. He is at once the team’s point guard of the future and the present.
> 
> Smart knows he is at his best when he is making those strong, physical drives to the basket with his 6-foot-4-inch, 220-pound frame. But he also knows those moments haven’t come as frequently as he had expected.
> 
> “I’ve just got to attack,” Smart said. “I’ve just got to be more aggressive. I’m not as aggressive as I was at Oklahoma State, and that’s all it is. You know, I turned down a lot of drives and a lot of shots, to be honest. That’s different than what I was at Oklahoma State.”
> 
> It is worth noting that the NBA is far different than Oklahoma State, so some of Smart’s adjustments are necessary. Gritting your teeth and plowing forward against physically overmatched players might work against the Oklahoma Sooners; it usually will not work against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
> 
> And perhaps that has Smart playing tentatively. Since Jan. 28, 30 of his 48 field goal attempts have been 3-pointers, a high figure for a player who is not known for his long-range shooting.
> 
> Smart’s free throw rate — the number of free throw attempts per field goal attempt — is .269. During his sophomore year at Oklahoma State, that figure was .648. And this season the free throw rates of elite NBA guards Russell Westbrook, Ty Lawson, and Eric Bledsoe are all above .4.
> 
> But Celtics coach Brad Stevens stressed that it would be a mistake to expect Smart to just whirl through the lane and draw one foul after another. First, Stevens said, it is important for Smart to take what a defense allows. Second, he understands that Smart’s development remains in the early stages.
> 
> “In an ideal world, yeah, be able to drive by your guy every time and get to the line,” Stevens said. “But you know, he’s not there yet. And he got to the line a lot in college. I think he’ll continue to get to the line more and more as he gets comfortable reading defenses. But again, this is a lot less about downhill speed and a lot more about he has to learn defenses.”
> 
> Smart has taken 15 free throws over the Celtics’ last four games, his most in any four-game stretch this season. He said that he will seek to be more aggressive. Stevens just does not want those moments to feel forced.
> 
> “Marcus’s ability as a driver and off the pick and roll is a little bit unique to, let’s say [Hawks guard] Jeff Teague, who just flies at you downhill — that’s not him,” Stevens said. “He’s got more of that physical body that can keep people on his side and his hip and his back. And then he can use some of his tricks and his ballhandling and those type of things to get to where he wants to go. Some of that he has, and some of that he needs to continuously develop and work on. And that takes a little bit of time.”


Well, Smart's been pretty good so far, but as the article points out his inability (or unwillingness) to get to the hoop and/or foul line is a major limiting factor at this point. He's at least been trying a little more lately, but most of his offense still comes off of spot-up 3s and long 2s. I don't want to be too reactionary right now because it's still very early in his career, but it is promising that Smart at least seems to be aware of the issue and the need to address it.


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## 29380

Has Boston used Smart in post any?


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## Bogg

Coach Fish said:


> Has Boston used Smart in post any?


Not really, he's largely either been a 3-and-D swingman with the starting unit (Evan Turner's now a full-time point guard) or the backup point guard, where he really just focuses on getting the team into the offense and not turning the ball over. You can almost hear the "don't screw up, don't screw up, don't screw up" thought line in his head.


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## Bogg

Some (admittedly not exactly new) post-season updates on Smart:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/05/28/celtics-rookie-still-smarting-over-season-mistakes/0X4RFJAvZhqnbKV1LONiqM/story.html



> WALTHAM — On the morning of April 26, Marcus Smart woke up in a panic. It wasn’t because the Celtics had a playoff game against the Cavaliers that afternoon, or because a loss would end Boston’s season with a four-game sweep. It was because he was supposed to be at TD Garden, and instead he was in bed.
> 
> Smart said he set four alarms for that morning. The rookie guard was not sure if he slept through them or they never went off, but he was sure he was late. As Smart drove from his Waltham home toward the Garden, he called his agent, Josh Ketroser.
> 
> 
> “And he was freaking out,” Ketroser said. “ I told him to relax and drive safely and he’d get there. I think more than anything he was disappointed, because he looks at himself as a team leader, and team leaders don’t let that stuff happen.”
> 
> Smart missed the Celtics’ pregame shootaround and coach Brad Stevens benched him for the first quarter of the 101-93 loss. Then the season was over, leaving Smart no chance to make amends.
> 
> During an interview at the team’s training facility Thursday, it was clear the moment still bothered Smart, even if most other people had moved on.
> 
> “I just don’t want to give anybody a reason to label me as something I’m not,” he said quietly.
> 
> Smart’s rookie season was, by most measures, a success. He averaged 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists, and showed he could become an elite defender. He was a second-team all-rookie selection and helped guide the Celtics to an unlikely playoff berth.
> 
> But internally, he focuses on where he fell short, where he was slighted, and where he can make progress.
> 
> He is still upset about oversleeping before Game 4, and for striking Spurs forward Matt Bonner during a March game in San Antonio — which resulted in an ejection and one-game suspension.
> 
> “I didn’t have a reason to do it,” Smart said. “I’m a lock-up defender and I believe strongly in my defense, so I don’t need to take cheap shots at guys to get an edge.”
> 
> He is still frustrated by his shooting percentage (36.7), and annoyed his ankle injury suffered in November never truly went away.
> 
> He still thinks he should have been in the Rising Stars Challenge, an all-star game involving first- and second-year players. And he still believes he should have been a first-team all-rookie choice.
> 
> “That’s just another thing that’s on my book, my mind, that’s keeping me going and motivated into this summer,” Smart said.
> 
> And that is why, after a brief trip home to Texas to see family, he is now back in Waltham, training for several hours a day with Celtics assistant coach Darren Erman. They have worked on shooting, ball-handling and defense, and how to make proper reads coming off of pick-and-rolls.
> 
> “If he continues to work,” Erman said, “he can eventually be an All-Star.”
> 
> Smart said his workouts have been productive because, for the first time in months, his left ankle is not a hindrance. He suffered the sprain and a bone bruise while attacking the rim on a fast break during a Nov. 7 game against the Pacers. He returned Dec. 3 but was in pain for most of the season.
> 
> “I just couldn’t get my regular explosiveness,” Smart said. “It just wasn’t the same. I never really gave it that time to heal on its own. I was always putting more pressure on it and pushing it and pushing it.”
> 
> Smart constantly iced the ankle and received electro-stimulation and would sometimes arrive at TD Garden six hours before tipoff to loosen the joint.
> 
> “There were days I just wanted to call it quits and have my rookie season be over,” he said. “There were days where it was really bothering me to where I could barely walk on some mornings. I tried not to limp, I tried not to show it, because I didn’t want to be taken out of a game or use it as an excuse. But now I can’t really deny that my ankle played a big part in some games.”
> 
> Although that setback was frustrating, it has given Smart hope as he digs into his first NBA offseason. If he can have a successful year on one good leg, he reasons, what might be possible when he is operating on two? He is eager to find out.
> 
> Though there are no guarantees, Smart is widely viewed as one of the cornerstones of the Celtics’ rebuild. It is a position he relishes and takes seriously.
> 
> “But it also lets me know I have a lot to do and a lot to handle in a short amount of time,” Smart said. “So I’ve got to get to work.”


https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/05/29/marcus-smart-reflects-rookie-season/kJnU02QQImCSheLuGnIrlL/story.html



> In addition to the story that ran in Friday’s Globe, Celtics guard Marcus Smart had some other interesting thoughts. Among other things, he talked about defending LeBron James, the Celtics taking the next step, Brad Stevens and James Young.
> 
> On being named second-team all-rookie: “I think I got snubbed, especially being one of the only rookies that really got major playing time and made the playoffs. I don’t think people took that into consideration.”
> 
> 
> On playoff experience: “We understand what it’s like to be there, what it feels like. Coming into next year, if we make it, we’ll know what to do. We understand it’s gonna take almost every possession to be perfect for us to come out with a victory.”
> 
> On what the Cavs’ surge to the NBA finals says about the Celtics’ series against them: “It just shows we can compete with anybody. This team is in the finals with arguably the best player in the NBA, and we competed with them. We didn’t lay down; they didn’t blow us out. We stayed with them and had chances to win games. And to see that, we proved a lot to ourselves that we can do it.”
> 
> On taking the challenge of defending LeBron James: “I want to test myself and challenge myself as a defensive player in general. I’m sure I’ll have a lot more chances next year when we play them, and I’ll have to take advantage of those.”
> 
> On what he has learned watching these playoffs: “You kind of watch how guys attack certain schemes. I watched the Rockets/Warriors game when [James] Harden had like 10 turnovers, just the way they roped him and shook him and he was struggling to get his shot off. I saw where he could have done this or done that. It’s a good way to learn.”
> 
> On Brad Stevens: “He’s a young coach so he was adjusting and adapting to things in his first couple of years here. He’s been doing a really good job of it I think. He’s really been really, really, really open with me about things. The freedom I have as a rookie is just crazy. Most rookies don’t get that and he feels comfortable enough with me that he puts me in those situations in close games. It means a lot.”
> 
> Advice for fellow rookie James Young: “My advice would be to tell him, ‘You’ve got to work harder than you’ve ever worked. This isn’t college anymore. Guys are better than you or just as good as you and they’re always gonna bring someone to replace you if you’re not gonna do what you’re supposed to do, so you’ve got to keep that in mind, that I could be gone at any given time because every year there’s another batch of players coming in.’”
> 
> On how far the Celtics are from taking the next step: “We’re not far, but we’re not that close, either. We’re kind of like in the middle. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, no doubt, but now we know what it takes to get there. We’ve seen it and we’ve felt it.”


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## Bogg

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/06/20/celtics-did-their-homework-before-drafting-marcus-smart/QQD84kt35xUb4YZ4vhNM4M/story.html



> After Marcus Smart was selected by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick of last June’s NBA draft, the guard had dinner at a posh Italian restaurant in Manhattan with fellow draft picks such as Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid. Then Smart and his family continued the fete at a quiet rooftop lounge.
> 
> It was, on the surface, a simple and happy end to a simple and happy time. Smart had been one of the draft’s top options, and the Celtics’ decision seemed logical, if not obvious.
> 
> 
> In reality, though, the choice was the result of an exhaustive evaluation process. Smart did not know it on that warm June night, but the Celtics had been working toward the moment for several years.
> 
> . . .
> 
> President of basketball operations Danny Ainge is known as one of the league’s more active and omnipresent lead executives. He travels constantly because he finds great value in seeing players in person rather than on television or highlight films.
> 
> Ainge maintains a small and fiercely loyal scouting department. His son, Austin, is the director of player personnel, and director of scouting Dave Lewin oversees scouts Remy Cofield and Jake Eastman. And that, essentially, is it. Fewer voices means less clutter, but it also brings urgency to their roles.
> 
> When Smart was attending high school in Flower Mound, Texas, Lewin was a scout for the Cavaliers. He’d heard glowing reviews about Smart, particularly from Dave Telep, who was then a national recruiting analyst and is now the scouting coordinator for the Spurs.
> 
> So in early April 2012, Lewin traveled to Louisville, Ky., where Smart was playing in the Derby Festival Classic, a second-tier national all-star game for high school seniors. The game included future stars such as Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker and eventual Oklahoma City Thunder lottery pick Steven Adams. But Smart stood out.
> 
> “He was the most exciting player there,” Lewin said. “Just how hard he played, how quick he was getting to loose balls, how physical he was.”
> 
> Smart won the event’s dunk contest by doing a front flip before gathering a pass off the backboard for a reverse dunk. His muscular frame belied his age.
> 
> Later that month, Smart caught Austin Ainge’s attention at the McDonald’s All-American Game.
> 
> “Even as a 17- or 18-year-old, he was a man,” Ainge said. “And his toughness and competitiveness just leapt off the page.”
> 
> Celtics executives kept tabs on Smart when he played for USA Basketball’s U18 national team that summer. There was no way to know what he would become, or if Boston would ever be in position to draft him. But Smart had piqued the franchise’s interest, and those feelings swelled when he began playing for Oklahoma State.
> 
> “He had stretches in games that I thought were just spectacular from a competitive standpoint,” Danny Ainge said. “He was an unpolished product, but I liked his spirit and just how he approached each game. I liked that fire.”
> 
> Smart was named the Big 12 Player of the Year as a freshman, and Ainge would have pursued him had he declared for the NBA that year. But Smart returned to school as a sophomore.
> 
> Lewin, who joined the Celtics in August 2012, went to Orlando early in the 2013-14 season and saw Smart play three games in the Old Spice Classic. The previous year that event had helped him identify another future Celtics first-round pick, Kelly Olynyk. Maybe history would repeat itself.
> 
> Smart poured in 30 points in the opening game against Purdue, and Lewin was rapt.
> 
> “I talked to Danny about Marcus probably every day I was down there, how he was doing, what I was seeing,” Lewin said. “I knew Marcus was a guy who exemplified the characteristics that Danny values, so over time we had a constant dialogue about what he brought to the table and how he fit with the team we were trying to build.”
> 
> Lewin began to gather intelligence from Oklahoma State sources, visiting with coaches, graduate assistants, and managers. Some college coaches tout their players to NBA scouts regardless of reality, but flimsy praise reveals itself in time. Others tell the truth even if the truth hurts. Lewin had built a trust with the Cowboys’ staff, so their admiration of Smart was significant.
> 
> Four days before Christmas, Cofield went to Las Vegas to watch Oklahoma State face Colorado at the MGM Grand. When he returned to Boston and filed his report, Cofield noted Smart’s defensive versatility and intensity, traits that coach Brad Stevens highly values.
> 
> *Warning sign?*
> 
> On Feb. 8, though, there was a setback. In the final seconds of Oklahoma State’s loss at Texas Tech, Smart tumbled into the crowd after being fouled on a fast break. When he stood, a man in the crowd said something that led Smart to shove him. Smart was suspended for three games and there were new questions about his temperament.
> 
> The Celtics’ brass had initial concerns, but through their research they determined it was an isolated and unfortunate moment, not a warning sign. Yes, Marcus Smart was fiery, but it typically just came across in his play.
> 
> “Every coach, every teammate that Marcus has ever had just thought the guy was a warrior,” Austin Ainge said.
> 
> As the season unfolded, though, it was unclear if the Celtics would have a pick high enough to acquire Smart. The staff believed they would finish with a choice close to No. 10, and they thought Smart could be taken as high as second or third overall. So they were careful to expand their evaluations of other prospects.
> 
> But by the time Smart declared for the draft on April 7, the Celtics were finishing a frustrating 25-57 season that would put them in the thick of the draft lottery. They then intensified their pursuit of Smart.
> 
> “Sometimes we dig as deep as talking to a player’s high school teachers and college professors,” Danny Ainge said. “Suffice it to say we talked to dozens of people that were close to Marcus.”
> 
> The questions were rarely related to the guard’s obvious physical skills. They knew he could attack the rim. They knew he could smother an opponent. They knew all of that.
> 
> “We’re asking about things that are harder to see, like what kind of teammate he is, how coachable he is, what his work habits are,” Lewin said. “Is this a player who has committed himself to improving his weaknesses?”
> 
> The answer, resoundingly, was yes.
> 
> *Showcasing himself*
> 
> Smart signed with the Wasserman Media Group soon after entering the draft. As a favor to friends in the sports agency, Darren Erman, who had just been fired as an assistant coach with the Warriors, agreed to put Smart through a few workouts in Los Angeles.
> 
> Individual sessions did not play to Smart’s strengths, though, because there was no one for him to defeat. Erman thought back to the first time he worked out Warriors rookie Klay Thompson in 2011. He told Thompson to go around the 3-point arc and make as many shots in a row as he could. Erman said Thompson made 13 in a row from the left corner, eight from the left arc, 10 from the top of the key, 11 from the right wing, and eight from the right corner.
> 
> This workout was not like that one.
> 
> “Marcus was good when we did defensive drills, but I just couldn’t tell about his offense,” Erman said. “I couldn’t. He’d just left college, and he’s not a knockdown shooter yet. And I’d just got done working with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.”
> 
> About two weeks later, Erman was hired by the Celtics. He told Danny Ainge about the workouts with Smart. Although he liked his intangibles, Erman was uncertain about his offensive skills.
> 
> “But Danny wasn’t worried,” said Erman, who is now the New Orleans Pelicans’ associate head coach. “He loved his toughness. He loved him from Day One. And that’s why Danny is great at what he does.”
> 
> The draft lottery was held May 20 and the Celtics ended up with the sixth pick. They condensed their list, with Smart and Arizona forward Aaron Gordon rising to the top.
> 
> The staff again watched Smart’s key college games and reached out to additional sources. They decided that Smart’s instincts, toughness, and physicality made him NBA-ready. They thought his shooting and pick-and-roll abilities could improve with coaching.
> 
> “About two weeks before the draft,” Lewin said, “it became clear to me that out of the players who had the potential to be available to us, Danny was most comfortable with and most excited about Marcus.”
> 
> Smart visited the Celtics’ training facility in Waltham on June 23 for a stacked six-player workout that included eventual first-round picks Elfrid Payton, Nik Stauskas, Gary Harris, and Zach LaVine, and second-round pick Jordan Clarkson.
> 
> Smart was the group’s headliner. Players in his situation often avoid competition because there is little to gain and plenty to lose. Kentucky forward Julius Randle, for example, completed a solo workout for the Celtics that morning. But that was not Smart’s style.
> 
> “Whoever you put in front of me, I’m not going to back down,” he said that day. “I’ve never backed down from a challenge.”
> 
> Early in the session, Smart leaped to block a shot and twisted his ankle when he landed awkwardly on LaVine’s foot. He did not reveal his pain, because he did not want to show weakness. But now, he acknowledges, that injury flustered him. He missed shot after shot.
> 
> Danny Ainge’s opinion did not change, but the lukewarm showing ignited some concerns among others on the staff.
> 
> “We were like, ‘Wow, that was bad,’ ” Austin Ainge said.
> 
> So the Celtics made an unusual request: They wanted Smart to return for a second workout.
> 
> “I’m going to come back better this time than I was last time,” Smart told his agents at Wasserman. “And if they want me to come back a third time, I’m gonna be even better.”
> 
> In Smart’s second workout, his competitive fire was apparent. He had something to prove.
> 
> “I was getting to the rim, making shots, playing defense,” he said. “I made my dominance known.”
> 
> Said Danny Ainge: “Our staff was not on the same page before that. His second workout allowed us to collectively and unanimously be on the same page.”
> 
> *Plan comes together*
> 
> A week before the draft, Ainge asks his staff to compile their individual rankings of prospects. The information is a reference point, but ultimately this is not a democracy. Ainge decided he wanted Smart; now he had to see if he could get him.
> 
> Smart’s agent, Josh Ketroser, said the Orlando Magic — picking fourth — had once been very high on him. But Orlando selected Gordon. Then Dante Exum, a guard from Australia, was taken fifth overall by the Utah Jazz.
> 
> The Celtics’ staff sat in their war room at TD Garden and briefly gauged trade activity, and Danny Ainge recalls it being mostly quiet. There were about two minutes left to make the pick when the Celtics called Smart as he sat at a table with his family at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
> 
> “You’re just kind of like, ‘Oh, my gosh,’ ’’ Smart said. “This is really happening.”
> 
> Smart’s family was ecstatic, and Smart asked them to stay calm because he wouldn’t truly believe it until he heard commissioner Adam Silver read his name. Then Smart looked over at his mother and saw the joy on her face, and the reality set in.
> 
> For Ainge and his staff, a process that had been in motion for nearly three years had finally found a fruitful end. Marcus Smart, who would go on to become a second-team All-Rookie selection this past season, was a Boston Celtic.
> 
> But for the team’s scouting department, the relief after the draft was fleeting. When the night ended, Lewin went home and slept for nearly 12 hours. The next day he was on a plane to Washington to attend a high school all-star showcase run by Kevin Durant. The cycle had begun once more.


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## Bogg

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2015/08/19/celtics-marcus-smart-resumes-basketball-activities/EQQYIFfFtDjTIoMLf3eARJ/story.html



> Celtics guard Marcus Smart resumed basketball activities this week after being sidelined for a month with two dislocated fingers, according to a league source.
> 
> Smart suffered the injury in the first half of the Celtics’ Las Vegas summer league game against the Blazers July 16. When Smart, guard Terry Rozier, and Portland forward Noah Vonleh converged on a loose ball, Smart braced himself with his right hand — his shooting hand — as he fell, dislocating his index and middle fingers. A bone also punctured the skin, requiring five stitches.
> 
> The injury kept Smart from traveling to Africa with coach Brad Stevens and Celtics guard Evan Turner to compete in an NBA exhibition game earlier this month. If Smart had been healthy, it is also likely he would have been tapped to play in last week’s Team USA scrimmage in Las Vegas.
> 
> But Smart’s return to the court comes more than a month before the start of Celtics training camp, allowing him plenty of time to regain his form.
> 
> The Celtics are scheduled to open practice in late September before leaving for Europe, where they will play exhibition games in Madrid and Milan.


Glad that Smart's going to be ready to go for training camp, but it's a shame the hand injury kept him out of NBA Africa and the Team USA scrimmage. As Munro's noted, he seems popular with his peers and could potentially be useful when it comes to recruiting.


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## Bogg

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/660940736460902400
Smart made some plays this afternoon against the Spurs that'll make a nice start to his all-defense team campaign.


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## Bogg

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/680783886465536000
Looks like Smart will be making his return tonight in a limited role. It'll be good getting him back to take some pressure off of Avery and Isaiah, who have held up well in his absence but could use a little more help.


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## Bogg

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/684203510506909696
Certainly can't complain about the effort....


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## Bogg

Smart's struggling with his shooting this season, even moreso than I expected, but he's been fantastic on defense and is showing great court vision. Random minor thing, but lately he's been throwing some of the best outlet passes I've seen from a guard maybe ever. Some of them have been downright Kevin Love-esque.


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## E.H. Munro

If he had another 6" and 30lbs on him he'd be an all star.


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## JenMorri88

I think it is a good news


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## JenMorri88

Bogg said:


> Some (admittedly not exactly new) post-season updates on Smart:
> 
> Celtics rookie Marcus Smart ready to leap into second year - The Boston Globe
> 
> 
> 
> Marcus Smart reflects on rookie season with Celtics - The Boston Globe


Very interesting information


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