How will the Celtics miss Marcus Smart?
They won’t.
But who will take the last second shot at the end of important games they’ll ask? Who will make the winning plays? With out the “heart and soul” of the team how could they go on? Marcus Smart has been the most over hyped athlete in Boston in a long time and that’s saying soemthing for this fan base.
The nuber one reason to get Smart out of town was to get him out of the way of Tatum and Brown. It was like they both were just humoring him the last couple years as part of the “Big 3” on the Celtics. All we kept hearing was the longest tenured Celtic and leader of the team, but objectively Marcus Smart was a problem.
Smart was given the keys to the starting point guard position two years ago and the entire operation didn’t collapse so we called it a success. Sure, Smart was fine as the PG but it’s not like he lit the world on fire. He cleaned up a good amount of the nonsense flopping and stupid out of control plays, but when the pressure mounted he could not be counted on. He just contsantly shoe horned his way right in the middle of the show weather it was a bad turnover - Game 4 of NBA Finals. Or terrible foul - ECF vs Heat last year or countless last second bricks - Game 6 2023 ECF where he was bailed out by Derek White’s put back.
It’s just been Bone head play after bone head play and Smart just HAD to be on the floor because ya know, Heart and Soul. It was painfully obvious Derek White was the better option last year. When Smart went down with an injury White had an incredible run at the defacto PG position. It’s not that Marcus Smart is bad. It’s that is ego was so over inflated on this Celtics team that it often times got in the way of the best decision for the team on the court or the blossoming of the actual best players and leaders of the team, Tatum and Brown. He was straight up dogging his coach as if he was the GM or owned the team. He was alluding to being the player coach on the bench last playoffs. This cat’s idea of himself is just insane. He’s not even a good leader. Good leaders inspire others to follow their lead. I didn’t see anybody else match Smart’s “intensity”. It’s because it was fraudulent. Second hand embarrassment like you read about. But, he was liked and I guess the longest tenured Celtic so guys shrugged it off.
Additionally his fit within the Joe Mazzula ball offense is even more less suited at the starting PG position than it was for the defensive focuses Ime Udoka. Plus, his defense took a major step back last year. Derek White was the All Defensive Gaurd on the team. Not Smart.
Look, he was a good Celtic. He embraced the City and has nothing but great things to say about the Celtics and Boston. He’s turned himself into a real professional. I’m sure Marcus will have a good season with Memphis. I’m glad this chapter is over in Boston. Turn the page.
However, what you will see this year on the court is a lot of the same shit as last year. Good and bad. Because Marcus Smart was not really a difference maker and they didn’t address the PG position with someone who could actually run the offense to the benefit of Tatum and Brown. Smart was a really good role player over extending his role. This should be an addition by subtraction, like the Bryce Harper of the NBA, but inevitably it won’t matter if Brown and Tatum can not continue to develop and mature to playing a championship caliber of basketball at the most important times of the season.