BOSTON — Marcus Smart feels like he’s done a lot of growing up this season.
The 21-year-old point guard is the second-youngest player on an extremely young Celtics team, but as he prepares to suit up for his first NBA playoff game this Sunday in Cleveland, Smart says he no longer feels like a rookie.
“Actually, yeah,” Smart said after Tuesday’s 95-93 win over the Toronto Raptors. “It’s weird. The regular season went by faster than I expected it to go, too. But I don’t even look at myself as a rookie anymore. (My teammates) might, but I don’t.”
The Celtics knew Smart was an incomplete player — a defensive maven with questionable offensive potential — when they selected him sixth overall in the 2015 NBA draft, but coach Brad Stevens waited just two months before thrusting him into a starting role.
Smart took over as Boston’s No. 1 point guard Feb. 3 and has not looked back, starting every game since with the exception of one suspension-induced absence. Defense remains his strong suit, but the Oklahoma State product has developed a reputation for hitting big shots — his 64.3 percent 3-point average in “clutch” situations ranks third among all NBA rookies, per NBA.com — and is a staple of Stevens’ vaunted after-timeout plays.
Smart averages more minutes than all but six NBA rookies, and his 1.5 steals per game rank third behind only Rookie of the Year hopefuls Nerlens Noel and Elfrid Payton. He’ll also be the only remaining rookie starter when the playoffs begin this weekend.
“I like to think I’m the most competitive rookie in my class,” Smart said. “I just try to keep that competitive edge.”
Smart might feel like a veteran now, but is he ready for the grind of the NBA postseason? His coach believes so.
“He’s physically and emotionally ready,” Stevens said before Tuesday’s game. “Is he the prototypical point guard? Is he a prototypical shooting guard? I don’t know that he is. I think he’s just a ballplayer. But his physical readiness, especially on the defensive end of the floor, and emotionally — he sees the game, he’s mentally focused, he’s sharp in walkthroughs, he’s sharp in games, he makes the right reads. So, I’d say physically, mentally and emotionally, he’s just ahead of the curve at 21.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
