Marcus Smart ☆

Availability

His team isn't in the games shown here yet; his current status appears once it is.

This season

No data collected yet this season. His averages, lines history and splits fill in after his first regular-season game. Why?

• Podcast Jackson Gatlin, Locked On Rockets · Analysis · Oct 15

  The host's view: the Rockets now have many more offensive creators than last season. Last season it was mainly Durant and Sengun (heard as 'Shingun'), with Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson (heard as 'Amin') contributing inconsistently. This year VanVleet, Smart and Bogdanovic are added.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Prediction · Oct 14

  The host hopes three-point volume goes up (past the 35.5 per game line), pointing to VanVleet's return as a high-volume shooter and to Marcus Smart.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Prediction · Oct 14

  The host says that on paper the team should be a top-five offense, citing VanVleet's return, the addition of Marcus Smart, Durant, Sengun (likely), Sheppard (likely) and Bogdanovic (heard as "Bogdanovich"; likely Bogdan Bogdanovic).

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Report · Oct 12

  Game 2 starters with the regular starters out: Sheppard (heard as "Reed Shepard"; likely Reed Sheppard), Marcus Smart, Capela (heard as "Clint Capella"; likely Clint Capela), Thompson (heard as "Amin Thompson"; likely Amen Thompson), and Jabari Smith Jr. The host said Capela, Smart and Sheppard were moved up from the bench to fill out the lineup.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Open question · Oct 12

  It is still unanswered who will start in place of Fred VanVleet when he misses a game and the other four starters are available. The host says conventional wisdom points to Marcus Smart.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Report · Oct 12

  Marcus Smart's debut: 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, 4-of-9 from three, 2-of-3 free throws, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block and 1 turnover.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Report · Oct 12

  Marcus Smart played 24 minutes in game 2.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Opinion · Oct 12

  Host's view: Smart was by far the Rockets' best player on the floor in game 2.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Report · Oct 12

  Smart ran short pick-and-rolls with Capela (heard as "Clint Capella"; likely Clint Capela). One got Capela fouled and to the line. On another, a re-screen, a bounce pass through two defenders set up a dunk. The host counted at least four or five pocket bounce passes from Smart.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Analysis · Oct 12

  Host's analysis: without Fred, KD and Sengun, the offense was clunky at times. He does not blame all of it on Smart, but says Smart and VanVleet run the offense differently.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Analysis · Oct 12

  Host's description of Smart's expected role: not the full-time starting point guard. He comes in when Fred sits, defends, and keeps the offense from stalling.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Analysis · Oct 12

  Negative on Smart: a few threes came early in the shot clock. The host thinks his aggression was partly out of necessity with the top scorers out, and calls 4-of-9 a respectable mark.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Prediction · Oct 12

  Host's prediction: Smart will not start, but he probably closes a fair number of games for defensive reasons, and he expects him to be the 'tip of the spear' on defense.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Report · Oct 12

  Smart was vocal on defense, communicating switches and calling out coverages for teammates.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Analysis · Oct 12

  Smart, Tari Eason and Sheppard (heard as "Reed Shepard"; likely Reed Sheppard) are all coming off the bench. The host thinks they would likely start for other teams.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Report · Oct 9

  Marcus Smart was a late scratch from preseason game 1 vs the Mavericks.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Opinion · Oct 9

  Host prefers a Reed Sheppard–Marcus Smart backcourt to Reed–Fred, because Smart is bigger (6'3"–6'4") and can handle bigger players.

• Podcast Locked On Rockets host · Open question · Oct 9

  Open question whether Ime commits to a consistent 10-man rotation with Bogey (likely Bogdan Bogdanovic) playing nightly, or whether Bogey's minutes are spot minutes that come at the expense of Steve-O or Smart.

Podcast items are our short summaries of what was said, credited to who said it; posts link to the original. Opinions and rumors are labelled as such and are not checked facts.

• Waiting Locked On Rockets (show): Marcus Smart will not be in the Rockets' starting lineup.
  2026-10-12 · Podcast · for DAL @ HOU, 2026-10-22
• Opinion Locked On Rockets (show): Smart will close a fair number of games for defense and lead the Rockets' defense.
  2026-10-12 · Podcast · by 2027-04-12
• Waiting Locked On Rockets (show): Marcus Smart starts in place of VanVleet vs Dallas on Sunday.
  2026-10-09 · Podcast · for DAL @ HOU, 2026-10-11

Checkable calls about Marcus Smart from the voices we track, and how they turned out.

Game log