Marcus Smart After Third Straight Loss: ‘There’s Only So Much I Can Do Without The Ball In My Hands’
The Boston Celtics are off to a rough start standing at 2-5 after a tough 128-114 loss against the Bulls last night. Celtics guard Marcus Smart was very open post-game about why the team is struggling to find its footing so far:
“Every team knows we’re going to Jayson [Tatum] and Jaylen [Brown], and every team is programmed and studies to stop Jayson and Jaylen,” Smart says, per CBS Sports. “I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys try and pass the ball. They don’t want to pass the ball and that’s something that they’re going to learn. They’re still learning and we’re proud of the progress they are making, but they are going to have to make another step and find ways to not only create for themselves but create for others on this team.
“To open up the court for them later in the game where they don’t always have to take those tough shots or take tough matchups when they do get the 1-on-1 and see a trap. Just reading that It’s something that we’ve been asking for them to do and they’re learning. We just got to continue to help those guys do that and help our team.”
Smart who scored 16 points, one rebound, and four steals in last nights contest also expressed wanting to be more involved offensively:
“There’s only so much I can do without the ball in my hands, I just stand in the corner,” Smart says, per CBS Sports.
“When we’re running plays for your best players, every team knows that and they do a good job of shutting that down. We can’t allow that, when they shut that down we can’t keep trying to go to those guys, we gotta abort that and find them another way to get them the ball in spots that they need the ball. And like I said for me, I can only do so much standing in the corner, or when I come up and give the ball away.”
The franchise ranks 27th in the League in isolation offense, scoring just 0.74 points per possession. Jaylen Brown ranks 13th on points per possession while Tatum is 38th in the league per the NBA. The Celtics are ranked 27th in the League with a 110.3 defensive rating and 19th in offensive rating at 104.6.
