smart like westbrook?

[coffee425]

let's just hope he's not "smart like westbrook..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40namVhT1Ug

[Snakehead]

I have never understood why they don't compare smart to westbrook. they are both point guard  and beasts on defense. smart is an inch taller than westbrook. They both also us their defense to translate to offense. westbrook is also a bully in the paint. westbrook is a better shooter for sure but I think smart is a little better defensively. tell me what you think about my comparisons and who you think marcus might be most like.

Westbrook's most outstanding trait is his off-the-charts athleticism. Smart is athletic but not like that. He somewhat makes up for it with a big edge in strength and a slight edge in length. Yeah, Smart will be a better defender due to his instincts and toughness, but he's unlikely to come close to Westbrook in terms of scoring ability. He could be a better passer though. It isn't a bad comparison overall as their bowling-ball offensive style is fairly similar.

I disagree on the athleticism point. See chart of their combine numbers. He only loses the 3/4 sprint, and barely. I'll take the additional weight on Smart if he's jumping higher and has more agility, but loses a bit of sprint.

First, you are underselling the speed difference. To beat someone by 0.18 over 25 yards is a really large margin of victory.

Second, raw speed is one thing, but Westbrook's real superpower is that he can go to the rim at near full speed and still maintain incredible balance and touch. There are other guys in the league who have posted similar speed numbers, but they don't have the ability to actually play as fast as Westbrook. For example, Jodie Meeks is just as fast, but he isn't going around terrorizing people.

There are certain players where you just watch them play and you see a difference in how they dunk, fly around the court, etc.  Westbrook is one of those players.  I don't care what the numbers say even.  I've watched him a lot and a ton of basketball by this point.  He's one of the best athletes I've ever seen.

Smart seems like no slouch but he isn't Westbrook.

[Snakehead]

let's just hope he's not "smart like westbrook..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40namVhT1Ug

Same here.

With Westbrook I've always thought his athleticism and quickness was actually a hindrance to his trigger happy tendencies since he can so quickly pull up and get a shot off on a pull up, he can theoretically get "open" shots all the time.  So he just pulls up all the time when he has no business doing so.  Plus he is a "PG" so he handles the ball more than he should (definitely would be a SG on any roster I'm putting together).

Of course, you'd just hope he'd be smart enough not to take the shot at all.  But he's a reckless player.  That works both for him and against him.

[Tr1boy]

Westbrook and dwades explosiveness are/were tops in the league.
Drose doesnt/didnt even compare. And drose is more explosive than smart.

Smart has the body/quickness/athleticism like lance stephenson but game more like dwade.

Stephenson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJnq98H_01A

Dwade
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uRN7iJ5CqQ

Westbrook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38lH9Ws84-4

[footey]

Anyone who has watched both of them play would be hard pressed to say that one guy reminds you of the other. Their games are so different.  Westbrook is a much better shooter, much more explosive athlete.  I have decent hopes for Smart.  I really respect his approach to the game, and think we will be pretty happy with him. But to set him up to be a future All Pro like that is just setting him up for failure.  Wish the comparison would end.

[inverselock]

STRENGTHS:
- Executes offensively
- Transition play
- Excellent hands
- Outstanding defender
- Versatility to defend multiple positions
- Energy/Intensity
- Late bloomer
- Role-player potential
- Strong Intangibles
- Work ethic
- Athleticism
- Excellent first step
- Freakish athleticism
- Wingspan
WEAKNESSES:
- All-around offensive polish
- Mid-range game
- Not a true point guard
- Ability to create own shot
- Average ball-handler
- Not ready to contribute immediately
- Tweener?
- Size for position
- Undersized
- Average shooter

Westbrook draft report.   Similar to Smart, swap explosiveness for strength.   Elite defense, work ethic, intangibles are the key similarities.

Hoping Smart can be a positive this year,  in what will be another bad season for Boston.

[jaketwice]

The one thing everyone on Celticsblog has in common is that we are all wrong. There's nothing like talking to a collection of know-it-alls to make a person look like an idiot.

[Future Celtics Owner]

I have never understood why they don't compare smart to westbrook. they are both point guard  and beasts on defense. smart is an inch taller than westbrook. They both also us their defense to translate to offense. westbrook is also a bully in the paint. westbrook is a better shooter for sure but I think smart is a little better defensively. tell me what you think about my comparisons and who you think marcus might be most like.

Westbrook's most outstanding trait is his off-the-charts athleticism. Smart is athletic but not like that. He somewhat makes up for it with a big edge in strength and a slight edge in length. Yeah, Smart will be a better defender due to his instincts and toughness, but he's unlikely to come close to Westbrook in terms of scoring ability. He could be a better passer though. It isn't a bad comparison overall as their bowling-ball offensive style is fairly similar.

I disagree on the athleticism point. See chart of their combine numbers. He only loses the 3/4 sprint, and barely. I'll take the additional weight on Smart if he's jumping higher and has more agility, but loses a bit of sprint.

First, you are underselling the speed difference. To beat someone by 0.18 over 25 yards is a really large margin of victory.

Second, raw speed is one thing, but Westbrook's real superpower is that he can go to the rim at near full speed and still maintain incredible balance and touch. There are other guys in the league who have posted similar speed numbers, but they don't have the ability to actually play as fast as Westbrook. For example, Jodie Meeks is just as fast, but he isn't going around terrorizing people.

Coffe tp for posting what I was going to post. Smart is only 1 inch taller but is almost 40lbs heavier and jumps higher. There is a simple way to measure power: weightXvertical. Marcus Smart has incredible POWER and great length. Its very much like having a 6'4'' Lebron.
 
his power will help him be an all pro defender as well.

ALSO, look at bf%. When Smart trims down he will probably make up that .18 3/4 sprint and beat Westbrook

[vinnie]

Just trying to sum up what I read here -- so he's a combination of Wade, Lance and Westbrook.   

[fitzhickey]

Just trying to sum up what I read here -- so he's a combination of Wade, Lance and Westbrook.   

But not quite as good as any of them (yet  )

[Jesus Shuttlesworth #20]

I'm thinking they never compare Smart to Westbrook because Smart can't dunk, shoot, defend, dribble, run, steal or block as good as Westbrook. I'm also thinking they don't compare Smart to Westbrook because any member of the media who did would be fired since they would obviously know nothing about basketball. I would say comparing Smart to Westbrook is the equivalent to comparing Jeff Green to Durant.

[KingofDaPlayazBall]

I'm thinking they never compare Smart to Westbrook because Smart can't dunk, shoot, defend, dribble, run, steal or block as good as Westbrook. I'm also thinking they don't compare Smart to Westbrook because any member of the media who did would be fired since they would obviously know nothing about basketball. I would say comparing Smart to Westbrook is the equivalent to comparing Jeff Green to Durant.

Smart can't defend, steal, or block as good as westbrook?
Smart avg 2.9 steals 0.6 blocks in his 2years at college
Westbrook avg 1.0steals and 0.1 blocks in his 2years
Please be quiet if you have no idea what your talking about

[Ogaju]

In my opinion, the one word that screams out at you when describing Westbrook is explosiveness.
Marcus Smart on the other hand is motor.  Speed is the main difference that makes them a bad comparison to me.  Marcus Smart though a lot slower, has better size and wing span, elite instincts on defense, and further down their careers i think will become a better shooter than Westbrook.  Overall Marcus Smart is the more fundamental player and Westbrook is more flashy.

I see you are a new poster here is a TP to welcome you.

[dmopower]

I have never understood why they don't compare smart to westbrook. they are both point guard  and beasts on defense. smart is an inch taller than westbrook. They both also us their defense to translate to offense. westbrook is also a bully in the paint. westbrook is a better shooter for sure but I think smart is a little better defensively. tell me what you think about my comparisons and who you think marcus might be most like.

Westbrook's most outstanding trait is his off-the-charts athleticism. Smart is athletic but not like that. He somewhat makes up for it with a big edge in strength and a slight edge in length. Yeah, Smart will be a better defender due to his instincts and toughness, but he's unlikely to come close to Westbrook in terms of scoring ability. He could be a better passer though. It isn't a bad comparison overall as their bowling-ball offensive style is fairly similar.

 Westbrook is quicker and one quarter inch taller than smart.  The combine numbers say smart has a higher standing verticle than westbrook or wade at 40 Lbs heavier Almost as much max verticle as westbrook and higher than wade with twice the body fat.
  This kid is amazing!!!  His quickness will improve as he gets leaner.  Check out his combine stats. he was close or better than westbrook in everything except 3/4 court sprint. Where he was just above average.  He was better than westbrook in the agility test also.

[inverselock]

I'm thinking they never compare Smart to Westbrook because Smart can't dunk, shoot, defend, dribble, run, steal or block as good as Westbrook. I'm also thinking they don't compare Smart to Westbrook because any member of the media who did would be fired since they would obviously know nothing about basketball. I would say comparing Smart to Westbrook is the equivalent to comparing Jeff Green to Durant.

Smart can't defend, steal, or block as good as westbrook?
Smart avg 2.9 steals 0.6 blocks in his 2years at college
Westbrook avg 1.0steals and 0.1 blocks in his 2years
Please be quiet if you have no idea what your talking about

Every scouting report seem to suggest Smart is a great defender.  Held is own against USA's best PG's this summer too.

The other main comparison would be their strong mentality on and off the court.

Westbrook was a below average shooter coming out of college too.