|
Post by DERRENMATTS on May 29, 2022 22:49:24 GMT -5
....... cannot be Marcus Smart.
What do you guys think? Do you think we're in a good place if Smart is taking shots as if he's the [HASH]3?
Would you rather see our 3rd high scorer be Horford? GWill? DWhite?
Or does Brad need to make it a priority to secure a legit third big scorer?
|
|
|
Post by freshnthehouse on May 30, 2022 3:11:57 GMT -5
I'm assuming it'll be close between him and Horford. Maybe White has an outside shot. I think the key for all of them is to take good shots. If Smart is taking wide open jumpers, he needs to take those without hesitation. It's when he's chucking contested 3s with 16 on the shot clock that this team struggles.
|
|
|
Post by jmost on May 30, 2022 7:50:33 GMT -5
MIA basically dared us to beat them with Smart taking outside shots, and it almost worked - especially as the lead evaporated in the last few minutes. I'd prefer almost anyone else to be our third scorer. He's really best when he limits himself to 10 or fewer shots per game.
I do think we need to find one more reliable 3 and D guy. But that's a summer thing.
|
|
|
Post by eja117 on May 30, 2022 9:06:23 GMT -5
MIA basically dared us to beat them with Smart taking outside shots, and it almost worked - especially as the lead evaporated in the last few minutes. I'd prefer almost anyone else to be our third scorer. He's really best when he limits himself to 10 or fewer shots per game. I do think we need to find one more reliable 3 and D guy. But that's a summer thing. Here's a question though: Who do you want on the floor in critical moments at the end of a game like that? Let's say you even know the player in question will definitely be touching the ball. Smart of Pritch? Smart or Nesmith? Smart of D White? I think I gotta go with Smart. D White is a huge temptation there. D White it might depend on what kind of game each guy is having.
|
|
|
Post by eja117 on May 30, 2022 9:08:32 GMT -5
And here's another thing offensively.
Would you rather Smart be shooting an open three or Jaylen driving to the hoop?
Yeah, give me Smart on that one please. Especially against the Heat. I would way rather go with the Smart open shot and the possible offensive rebound than Jaylen with the Lowry strip. Or charge. I've seen enough of that.
|
|
|
Post by jmost on May 30, 2022 9:50:09 GMT -5
I think you had to have Smart on the court over the other guys because Butler would and did abuse them. My problem is not with Smart being on the court. It's with him thinking he's a primary scorer, and with the exception of the occasional hot streak, he's not. We just can't have possessions where he dribbles for 20 seconds and then chucks up a 3.
Jaylen dribbling against Lowry or Oladipo was scary, but so is Smart shooting on a bad ankle and tired legs. But I don't think those are the only two options.
We get a lead and slow things down because someone has decided that, what, passing is too risky? Every time we try to run out the clock it backfires. Last night we got lucky and Butler missed. Can you imagine what we'd all be feeling and the sports world would be saying if we had blown a 13 point lead with 3+ minutes to go?
|
|
|
Post by runrondo on May 30, 2022 11:20:30 GMT -5
Smart has to shoot when he's open - but, that doesn't mean we can't run a play for someone else. Problem is, when we just let Tatum run the clock to 5 seconds and they double/blitz him - that means we box ourselves into a corner and do what the defense wants which is find the guy they leave open...which is usually Smart. I'd like to see Tatum off the ball moving in those cases, but we don't seem interested in trying to run offense under 4 minutes with a lead.
I really thought we were going to blow that lead. And I guess it's really just a Butler decision away from happening if he decides to attack instead of shoot that 3. That series really exposed our good and bad. We had some really great blowouts and some really shaky blown leads.
|
|
|
Post by jmost on May 30, 2022 11:47:56 GMT -5
Smart shooting over and over again and missing reminded me of that game several years ago in the ECF (I think against James and the Cavs) where Jaylen was taking and missing 3 after 3. I know they tell all the guys to take the 3 if they're open, but that has to have limits.
I'll never believe Smart is the guy to run the team down the stretch. He can't create and he can't be relied upon to make the shot when the defense gives it to him. Maybe we can win with him in that role, and I hope we do, but it isn't ideal. We were lucky to have a big lead with 3:35 left.
|
|
|
Post by runrondo on May 30, 2022 11:53:39 GMT -5
I'll never believe Smart is the guy to run the team down the stretch. He can't create and he can't be relied upon to make the shot when the defense gives it to him. Maybe we can win with him in that role, and I hope we do, but it isn't ideal. We were lucky to have a big lead with 3:35 left. I think the Heat and I agree with that which is why they worked so hard on Tatum so the ball was in Smart's hands so often at the end. I also think Tatum has to be a bit more aggressive, but that's hard to do when you waste the whole shot clock and make it easy for the defense to force you to give it up
|
|
|
Post by eja117 on May 30, 2022 16:40:20 GMT -5
I think it's very easy for fans to contradict themselves here. On the one hand we don't want them shooting too early in the clock but we want Tatum to be an alpha dog star, but we don't want him to play hero ball, but we're happy to see him find the open guy and not be selfish, just not to a wide open Smart.
I'm fine with Tatum initiating the offense like that. He can often get a shot or get fouled or find a wide open guy who is a good shooter. If it makes people nervous so be it. That's what rebounding and defense is about. Jaylen dribbling to the hole? Nope. He should not be playing hero ball at the end like that.
|
|
|
Post by jmost on May 30, 2022 18:41:54 GMT -5
I think what we're saying (or at least what I'm saying) is that if teams are going to double Tatum to force the ball out his hands, we need to have a better option than Marcus Smart taking 75% of the shots down the stretch - which is what happened while the lead went from 13 to 2 in the last three minutes. Smart is not that guy. Never has been.
|
|
|
Post by DERRENMATTS on May 30, 2022 19:49:25 GMT -5
Yes, that's correct (for me anyways). There are times when I feel Smart wants to be the hero. It's fine when his shots are falling or he is intent to make plays for others. But when he's out to score and be the hero, it doesn't usually end up good.
I think when Tatum is stifled, others have got to move and cut more to give us more options.
|
|