Opinions over the value of Marcus Smart can vary, to say the least.
Leave it to Kendrick Perkins to finally quantify the value of the Boston Celtics point guard, who has been phenomenal in the five games since he's returned to the lineup following a six-game absence due to various ailments.
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SIGN UP HERE So, just how badly do the C's need Smart in the lineup?
"They need him like old people need soft shoes with orthopedics, that's how bad they need him," Perkins said on Pregame Live.
The Celtics are 4-1 with Smart back in the lineup as starting point guard, which followed a 3-3 stretch without him.
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Smart is averaging only 9.8 points per game since returning, but is shooting over 51 percent from the field. (He's under 40 percent for the season as a whole.) He's also averaging 6.8 assists per contest and is an aggregate plus-118 during the stretch.
"You can tell, when he goes off the floor, this Celtics team, they struggle offensively getting into sets," Perkins said. "It's no knock to Dennis Schroder, it's just facts. That's how important Marcus Smart is when he's the point guard and the facilitator."
With the trade deadline coming up in just 10 days, Smart has certainly made a compelling case to hang around for at least a little bit longer.