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Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart’s 3 keys to success in 2019/20 NBA season

By Jason Haskins

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 06: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics enters the game during the first quarter of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2019 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 06, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 06: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics enters the game during the first quarter of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2019 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 06, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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Improvement on offense

Last season, Marcus Smart avoided injuries that had derailed previous seasons and it showed.

Smart played in the most regular season games of his NBA career (80), with 60 of those coming as a starter. While some the main stat categories many look at it (points, assists, rebounds) were down, there were other key components to Smart’s game that got better.

Shooting the ball at a 42.2 percent clip marked the highest of Smart’s career. This included a rate of 35.3 percent from behind the arc. Some of Smart’s shots can be erratic, leaving fans to scream in frustration, but even these shots weren’t as prevalent as in year’s past.

Smart had a fantastic March, averaging 11.2 points and 4.1 assists per game, all while shooting 48 percent from the field.

To have a successful season, these are the types of numbers Smart should be putting up on the offensive end. The field goal percentage might be a little out of range for him over the course of 82 games, but 45 percent is not out of the realm of possibility.  It could even be expected for Smart to average close to five assists per game.

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