Marcus Smart has arguably been the third best Celtic on the roster this season, which is both an encouraging and troubling fact. There’s no question that Smart’s growth, particularly on the offensive end with his 3-point shooting and shot selection has improved by leaps and bounds during the 2018-19 season. He’s improved his two-point shooting percentage (50.8 percent) even more than his 3-point shooting (36.5 percent), all while limiting the ill-advised heaves that became commonplace for him in previous seasons.
Smart’s been the best defensive player on the Celtic for years now, so the fact that he’s turned himself into even an average offensive player is no small development in itself. With that said, the notion that he has been the third-best Celtic (a debatable topic) on the season while averaging just 8.7 points and 4.1 assists per game speak to the inconsistency that has been prevalent for other talented pieces of the roster. The Celtics are going to win fewer games than last year with far less talent at their disposal (on paper) and the team’s inability to hold themselves accountable on a regular basis is a big reason why.
Smart is one of the few players on this team that has been carrying his weight for the vast majority of the year. The season turned around when he got into the starting five, he works his butt off on defense every night and he’s played his way into crunch time minutes for obvious reasons. Yet, the 25-year-old still showed some glaring accountability issues in the wake of his ejection against the Sixers on Wednesday night following the blindsided shoved of Joel Embiid.
Embiid gives Marcus Smart an elbow on the screen
Smart retaliates with a shove and is ejected from the game pic.twitter.com/yNFmyblt3K
— Sports ReUp (@SportsReUp) March 21, 2019
- Former Celtic and current TNT analyst Kevin McHale is in the running for the Suns general manager job, according to reports. McHale has not run a front office since his tenure with the Wolves ended earlier this decade. He has been out of the league since being fired by the Rockets two seasons ago in the first month of the year.
- Doc Rivers shot down rumors that he had any interest in a potential Lakers job opening it, stating that he had already agreed to an extension with the Clippers in the midst of a surprise playoff run.
- The Spurs are bringing aboard Donatas Montiejunas on a free agent deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com. The versatile big man has played the past two seasons in China.
- A successful weekend for the Celtics on the Grizzlies pick watch as Memphis dropped winnable games to the Magic and Wolves to maintain their position in the bottom eight of the lottery.
- Add Pau Gasol to a long list of Bucks injuries heading into the postseason. The big man joins Malcolm Brogdon and Nikola Mirotic on the mend with an ankle issue. Mirotic is expected to be back in time for the postseason.