In two seasons Marcus Smart is a proven young NBA guard. Coming out of Oklahoma State, Smart’s most important feature in transitioning to the pros was his natural strength, which has helped him establish a scrappy, competitive defensive identity. He’s even had to defend himself in the past as not being a dirty player.
Talking to Celtics.com, Smart talks about his workouts in Miami this offseason, his reputation, and how he plans to establish himself offensively this season:
Marcus Smart sat down with Amanda Pflugrad to talk about his drive to improve his game this season. WATCH:https://t.co/CWBtq1OvOd
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) August 25, 2016
Smart averaged 9.1 points in 27 minutes per game last season, but he shot 34 percent from the field and 25 percent from three. Per 36 minutes, Smart is at 12.1 points per game.
While he has yet to develop the consistency he would like on the offensive end, Smart hasn’t been a liability for the Celtics. Head coach Brad Stevens described him as the type of player that impacts winning. On the contrary, he plays a significant role in making their guard core legitimate along with Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley, both of whom are further along in their offensive confidence than Smart.
In his later college seasons, Smart operated as the primary offensive option. He has the ability to be more of an offensive threat, he may just need the opportunities. Smart is looking at a likely sixth man role this season. For his career, he’s averaging just under eight shot attempts per game.
If Smart has focused on sharpening his outside shooting, especially on catch-and-shoots, he can better capitalize on his opportunities and start to better establish his offensive presence.
