Marcus Smart

26 November 2024

Returns from illness

Smart (illness) logged 19 minutes off the bench and finished with six points (3-6 FG, 0-2 3Pt), four assists and two steals in Monday's 123-98 win over the Trail Blazers.

Analysis

Smart returned to action for the Grizzlies after he had missed the last four games due to an illness. Head coach Taylor Jenkins continued to deploy Smart off the bench, which had been the case in his two appearances earlier this month after he had missed the six games prior to that with a right ankle sprain. Smart opened the season on the top unit, and while he could eventually supplant rookie second-round pick Jaylen Wells in the starting five, Smart may not benefit from a major uptick in playing time while the Grizzlies regularly trot out a crowded 11-man rotation. Smart hasn't helped his cause for earning more run by shooting 32.1 percent from the field and 20 percent from downtown while averaging 7.3 points, 3.8 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 20.0 minutes per game over his first eight outings of the season.