What If Marcus Smart Could Shoot?
They thought it was only possible in 2K. (They were right.)
In my third hour playing NBA 2K15 on one of those iconic Massachusetts snow days, I came across something insane. I had to pinch myself. It was something so strange, yet so beautiful. Marcus Smart with an 83 overall rating for his standing three. I know. Riot ran through the Willen household. Screaming. Yelling. Potentially one of the most bizarre instances of my life. But it made me ask the question: What if Marcus Smart could shoot? How would this change his career?
Rookie Season:
Original Stats:
New Stats:
No Change.
To be fair, his first year he was at least somewhat decent at shooting threes — shooting at a clip of 33.5% on 4 threes a game. So even with my all basketball godly powers, I won’t change anything in his rookie year.
Sophomore Season:
Original Stats:
New Stats:
In Smart’s sophomore year, the Celtics made the playoffs for the second time under Brad Stevens. In their first-round matchup, they faced (and eventually lost to) the three-seeded Atlanta Hawks in 6 games. However, in the 2015–16 season, there was a four way tie for the three seed in the Eastern Conference. Now that Marcus can shoot, let’s say they add one more win that year, causing them to get the three seed! This means a much easier series against the Charlotte Hornets. Smart’s new shooting, along with Isaiah Thomas’ super clutchness, help the Celtics beat the Hornets in 6. They would still get beaten by the Raptors, as the Heat did, in a tense seven-game series where Smart shows his defensive chops and slows down DeMar Derozan.
Third Season:
Original Stats:
New Stats:
With Marcus’s additional 0.3 threes made per game he adds one point onto his points per game. These extra points per game don’t help the Celtics that much during the regular season because they already had the one seed. However, it does change the playoffs. The first round is still the same and in the second round they beat the Wizards in six games. This really changes nothing because they already won the series. However, it does stop all the “the Wizards came back” talk (Which, by the way, is ridiculous. They didn’t even win the series and Washington sports fans talk about how it was a great comeback). Anyways, they still lose the next series 4–1, as the King and his subjects (maybe that’s why Kyrie left) destroy the Celtics. Marcus still has his amazing 7–10 three point shooting night which shows off his amazing potential to the world.
2017–18 Offseason
To set the scene: the Cavs are looking to trade Kyrie Irving, and Danny “assets” Ainge offers up a package including the Nets first, Jae Crowder, Isaiah Thomas, and the one the only: Ante Zizic. Koby Altman accepts the deal hoping that he can keep the team equally talented while gaining stability for the future if LeBron leaves. But wait! The Cavaliers discover I.T.’s injury is more serious than initially disclosed, and decide to ask for more. However, instead of asking for a second round pick, they ask for Marcus Smart. Koby is a powerful GM, and Danny feels he must give up one of his precious assets for the young superstar (I know this is a little unrealistic, but Danny still wins this deal, and the Celtics still get Kyrie, so we’ll live with it). This gives the Cavs the counter for Draymond Green they always needed.
Fourth Season:
Original Stats:
New Stats:
The addition of Marcus, while helpful, is not enough as injuries cause him to miss 28 games. This only adds one win to the Cavs win total, which doesn’t actually affect their seed. They still beat the Pacers in seven and the Raptors in four. This pits the god that is Marcus Smart against the Celtics, and Smart’s eager to show them what they are missing. And he does. While he is not the second perimeter star LeBron yearns for, he gives him a versatile, switchy defender who can consistently shoot the three. The Cavs eventually win in seven and it doesn’t really change anything.
In Conclusion:
Marcus Smart is appreciated for who he really is: the ultimate role player. Regular Marcus, while solid, is a question mark on offense, making it hard to quantify his overall value (defense is hard thing to measure). However, now that he can shoot, he totally revolutionizes his game. He is a great playmaker and can do pretty much everything else on a basketball court. However, this three-point shooting Marcus Smart player will never happen, and as a result we are to wonder about one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history.
