Boston Celtics: Will the real Marcus Smart please stand up?

Marcus Smart has been an integral part to the success of the Boston Celtics. Was his performance in Game 3 against the Wizards an aberration or an alarming trend?

Game three of the Eastern Conference semifinals is one the Boston Celtics would like a complete mind wipe for.

Consider guard Marcus Smart to be first in line for the procedure.

Not that he’d be the only one. Both Avery Bradley and a most likely emotionally and physically tapped Isaiah Thomas struggled in Boston’s 116-89 loss.

As did most of the bench, most notably the aforementioned Smart.

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He was only 2-9 (22%) from the field, but the most glaring stat was in the turnover department. Smart contributed eight of those, many of which were careless passes and a couple of traveling calls. (Though I’m not even sure why traveling is called in the NBA anymore. My non-scientific study indicates for every traveling violation that is called, ten go uncalled.)

Smart has been enjoying a strong season, the best to date of his young career. He averaged 10.6 ppg, 3.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.6 steals during the regular season while primarily coming off the bench.

The postseason numbers, through nine games, are very similar. His scoring is down to eights points per game, but rebounds (4.8), assists (4.4), and steals (1.7) are all on par or better than his regular season numbers.

Smart has also had 10 blocked shots in the playoffs, proving once again it his defense that is valued more than anything.

To truly be successful, the type of game he had in game 3 need to be limited, something that didn’t quite happen in 2016-17.

Finding more consistency

Bad–or less than spectacular games–are going to happen. It afflicts even the greatest of stars, from Bill Russell to Michael Jordan to LeBron James.

The ability to bounce back, to limit these games and put them in the rear view mirror, are the true mark of a consistent player.

Smart’s growth this season truly began in February. In 12 games in February, Smart scored in double-digits ten times. The highlight was a 21-point, 8-steal performance in a victory over Philadelphia.

For every game like this or like his 7-10 shooting performance in a January win over New Orleans, Smart throws in a clunker for good measure. Say, for example, a week after the New Orleans win in which he turned a 2-13 performance from the field.

Earlier this season, I compared Smart to former Celtic Evan Turner. And I still stand by that. Smart has the ability to change a game on both ends of the floor as well as fill up the box score.

Smart is talented and brings so much to the team. A focused and locked in Smart makes the Celtics a better team.

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Based off the arc of this season, Smart will bounce back in game 4. Boston is currently still in the driver’s seat in this series. If Smart and the rest of the Celtics forget game 3 happened, they will win on Sunday. Then they will be one lane closer to taking the on-ramp to the Eastern Conference finals.

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