By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Boston Celtics led with as much as 14 points by the end of the third quarter against the Chicago Bulls, though the latter finally escaped with the win, following the Celtics’ collapse in the fourth period.
Marcus Smart was frustrated with the result (third consecutive defeat for Boston), and criticized teammates Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown post-game and highlighted that they should try to create more for the rest of the team.
“I would just like to play basketball,” Smart told reporters. “Every team knows we’re trying to go to Jayson and Jaylen. Every team is programmed and studied to stop Jayson and Jaylen. I think everybody’s scouting report is to make those guys pass the ball”
“They don’t want to pass the ball. That’s something that they’re going to learn. They’re still learning,” Smart added. “We’re proud of the progress they’re making, but they’re going to have to make another step and find ways to not only create for themselves but create for others on this team […] It’s something we’ve been asking them to do and they’re learning”.
From a statistics point of view, Smart’s comments do resonate. Both Tatum and Brown are among the top six players in the NBA with the fewest assists per game over 20 shots (3.7 and 2.5 respectively, according to StatMuse).
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