Marcus Smart did not get the start for the Boston Celtics in their opening preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets. Instead, Jaylen Brown got the start at shooting guard while Smart came off the bench. Scott Souza reports that Smart is completely fine with this setup going forward if it helps the team.
#Celtics Marcus Smart reiterated that he is completely fine coming off bench to help team, said he told Brad Stevens.
— Scott Souza (@Scott_Souza) October 2, 2017
Smart is considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. His defense would adequately replace the loss of departed Avery Bradley, who played great defense while starting at shooting guard for the Celtics last season.
However, the second-year Brown has more size than Smart and has the potential to be a very good defender as well. More importantly, though, Brown shot 34 percent from three-point range as a rookie last season, much better than Smart’s 28 percent.
The Celtics need more shooting at that position to provide better spacing for the likes of Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving in the starting unit. Because of that, Brown holds the slight edge over Smart for that starting gig.
Smart still has the preseason to prove he has improved his three-pointer. He's already off to a good start after he went 3-of-7 from beyond the arc against Charlotte while Brown went 0-of-2. However, whatever head coach Brad Stevens’ decision is, Smart appears ready to be a team player and sacrifice for the good of the team.
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