Marcus Smart
Smart is a veteran backup guard who starts when Fred VanVleet sits, and his short-term value depends on whether the left forearm strain keeps him out of Monday's game against the Hawks.
Role
Per The Athletic's Will Guillory (via RotoWire), he is expected to play a steady bench role and start when VanVleet sits. Ben DuBose, via NBC Sports, reports he starts on VanVleet's back-to-back rest nights. He played 26 minutes off the bench in the Oct. 21 opener against Dallas (10 points) and 21 minutes at San Antonio on Oct. 23 (5 points). He was ruled out Saturday at Atlanta with the forearm strain. Reed Sheppard started in his place and Bogdan Bogdanovic played 20 minutes off the bench. Smart is questionable for Monday per the Oct. 25 reports. NBC Sports notes VanVleet was also out Saturday, so Bogdanovic's minutes may drop regardless of Smart's status. No usage rate has been reported. Competition for guard minutes comes from Sheppard, Bogdanovic and Bruce Thornton.
He is a defensive stalwart whom coach Ime Udoka knows well from Boston. Udoka praised the edge and toughness he brings. He scored 20 points in 24 minutes in the Oct. 11 preseason game against Dallas, shooting 4-of-9 from three. He gives Houston a veteran ball-handler for bench units and for any VanVleet absence. He is also big enough to pair with VanVleet in the backcourt, as Space City Scoop argues.
He is a backup on a deep roster. In the first two games he scored 10 and 5 points, and he shot 1-of-6 against San Antonio. He sat out the entire preseason opener by coach's decision, with no explanation given. Sheppard played well as a starter Saturday with 19 points, and Bogdanovic filled in capably, so Smart's minutes are not guaranteed. The forearm strain is new, and no return timetable has been reported.
Where analysts split
The open question is how much real work he gets once healthy. One view is that he is a reliable starter on VanVleet's rest nights. The other view, from a ClutchFans recap, is that Udoka will play the veterans ahead of Sheppard when Sheppard is not at his best. Others point to Sheppard's strong start in Smart's absence as a threat to that. Coverage does not settle whether Smart or Sheppard starts on those nights going forward.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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