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Yeah, but we just know.Split T wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:11 amHave you watched Smart play? I’d love to be able to say this, but I’ve honestly barely watched Smart play this year. 90% of the basketball I watched this year was Suns games.wpmiller42 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:51 amAnyone who thinks Smart should be DPOY over Bridges literally does not watch enough games.
I feel like I've watched a lot of Celtics games this year, and I'm not saying that Smart isn't a really good defensive player. I think he's a great defensive player who is very good at pressuring the ball and keeping his man disengaged from the offense. But he's no where near as disruptive as Mikal. I don't think Smart is nearly the help defender that Mikal is. I feel like Mikal is everywhere on the defensive end, whereas Smart is really good at taking his man out of the offensive side of things for the most part, but isn't going to get you much weak side help, like Mikal does, or play the passing lanes, like Mikal does.Split T wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:11 amHave you watched Smart play? I’d love to be able to say this, but I’ve honestly barely watched Smart play this year. 90% of the basketball I watched this year was Suns games.wpmiller42 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:51 amAnyone who thinks Smart should be DPOY over Bridges literally does not watch enough games.
Smart is a very good defender, but where his value is diminished is that the Celtics have 3 other really good individual defenders in The Timelord, Tatum and Jaylen Brown. IMO, without Williams, their defense is going to be impacted, and specifically it's going to impact Smart's defense the most, as Smart counts on that backend help of Williams to erase mistakes when he is over aggressive or gambles when he shouldn't.wpmiller42 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:58 amI feel like I've watched a lot of Celtics games this year, and I'm not saying that Smart isn't a really good defensive player. I think he's a great defensive player who is very good at pressuring the ball and keeping his man disengaged from the offense. But he's no where near as disruptive as Mikal. I don't think Smart is nearly the help defender that Mikal is. I feel like Mikal is everywhere on the defensive end, whereas Smart is really good at taking his man out of the offensive side of things for the most part, but isn't going to get you much weak side help, like Mikal does, or play the passing lanes, like Mikal does.Split T wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:11 amHave you watched Smart play? I’d love to be able to say this, but I’ve honestly barely watched Smart play this year. 90% of the basketball I watched this year was Suns games.wpmiller42 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:51 amAnyone who thinks Smart should be DPOY over Bridges literally does not watch enough games.
Smart is a great defender, I just think Mikal is better because he's more impactful on that side of the ball.
Yeah. Not sure it’s that much of a no-brainer. Smart’s pretty incredible on that end and Boston had a better D rating than us.wpmiller42 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 9:51 amAnyone who thinks Smart should be DPOY over Bridges literally does not watch enough games.
Smart is a much more physical defender, I'll give him that. Bridges tries to defend without fouling/touching the offensive player while Smart bodies him up. But it doesn't seem like referees will give any Suns player equal treatment in that regard. Smart is allowed to get away with it while Mikal probably can't. The foul call discrepancies for us are getting ridiculous. I really don't think we foul significantly more than our opponents like the refs seem to think.Split T wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:22 amYa the feeling I get is they play similar roles for both teams defensively, but smart is a little more versatile in that he is a stronger player. He can legitimately body 5s and hold his own. Boston also had a better defense than us, so can’t use that argument. He’s also the only other DPOY candidate that’s minutes weren’t dwarfed by Mikal…though he’s still 500 behind him.
I know it doesn't feel this way to me when I watch, but for the season, the difference in fouls called on us vs our opponents is -1.0 (we get called for 19.9 PFs/game and our opponents gets called for 18.9 PFs/game).Superbone wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 11:51 amSmart is a much more physical defender, I'll give him that. Bridges tries to defend without fouling/touching the offensive player while Smart bodies him up. But it doesn't seem like referees will give any Suns player equal treatment in that regard. Smart is allowed to get away with it while Mikal probably can't. The foul call discrepancies for us are getting ridiculous. I really don't think we foul significantly more than our opponents like the refs seem to think.Split T wrote: ↑Tue Apr 12, 2022 10:22 amYa the feeling I get is they play similar roles for both teams defensively, but smart is a little more versatile in that he is a stronger player. He can legitimately body 5s and hold his own. Boston also had a better defense than us, so can’t use that argument. He’s also the only other DPOY candidate that’s minutes weren’t dwarfed by Mikal…though he’s still 500 behind him.
LeBron James would be 'very enthused' at the possibility of the Lakers hiring Mark Jackson as head coach, per @sam_amick