Boston Celtics: 5 goals for Marcus Smart in 2017-18
By Simon Smith
1. Earn a spot on an NBA All-Defensive Team
This gets to the part of Smart’s game that transforms the Celtics the most when he is on the floor.
Last season, the Celtics were 2.1 points per 100 possessions better off defensively. Overall, Smart averaged 1.6 steals per game, which ranked 15th in the league. Furthermore, Smart averaged 3.0 deflections per game, which ranked 19th in the league. With new addition Kyrie Irving not exactly renowned for his defensive capabilities, much is going to fall onto Smart’s lap at the defensive end of the floor.
It seems that Smart is more than ready for the challenge with the knowledge that his new-look physique is going to assist him tremendously:
"“You’re going to see me being able to guard guards like John Wall and Bradley Beal and guys like that a lot better. With (my) weight, it all became [a situation in which] Avery [had] to take on those guards on the perimeter. I was an undersized 4 man, pretty much. But I think with losing All-Star-talent defenders in Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder, a lot of responsibility does lie on my shoulders. I’m ready for it, and that’s what I’ve been working for this summer.”"
It hasn’t taken him long this preseason to demonstrate just what he could produce this season. In the following sequence, Smart strips the ball from one opponent, then dives to the floor to retrieve the loose ball to set up his teammate for the scoring opportunity.
https://twitter.com/celtics/status/916465787556184064
If this is what’s happening in preseason, it’s hard to imagine what Smart will produce come the regular season.
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It’s certainly not going to do the Celtics any harm as they look to repeat finishing atop the Eastern Conference at the conclusion of the regular season, so if Smart makes an NBA All-Defensive team, they’ll be on the right track.