Celtics' Stevens encouraged by Turner starting, Smart off bench
Just because the Boston Celtics are perceived to be in rebuilding mode doesn't mean head coach Brad Stevens isn't trying to win games.
At times, that may mean he's not simply handing minutes and responsibilities to rookies just for the sake of player development. For example, Stevens removed Marcus Smart from his position as the team's starting point guard on Wednesday, instead opting to give Evan Turner the starting nod at the one.
Stevens explained Wednesday that Turner's penetration helps the entire offense and his size creates matchup problems, while Smart has performed well with the reserves in practices. Smart had only started three games, so it's not a major adjustment for the Oklahoma State product.
The returns Wednesday were encouraging, with the Celtics rolling the Sacramento Kings and both Turner and Smart thriving. Turner scored 10 points with six rebounds and 11 assists in just 23 minutes while Smart scored 11 points, just one shy of his career-high.
The safe bet is that Stevens will roll with the same starters on Friday, which means Turner will be tasked with guarding Rajon Rondo in what should be an emotional return to Boston for the new Dallas Mavericks point guard. Since dealing Rondo on Dec. 18, the Celtics have been better with Smart than Turner and avoided playing them together entirely.
| Since Dec. 18 | Minutes | O-Rating | D-Rating | Net Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| with Turner | 148 | 99.3 | 99.0 | -0.3 |
| with Smart | 145 | 100.1 | 95.2 | 4.9 |
| with both | 0 | - | - | - |
Prior to the trade, Smart and Turner had shared the floor for 147 minutes to very positive results, but Stevens seems to want to keep them separated for the time being.