"Marcus Smart is a better defender than Rondo"
We have yet to determine this. not saying its not true, but rondo is a 2-time all defensive 1st team and 2 time all defensive 2nd team player. not too many players can claim that.
"Smart is younger, more durable."
We dont know the durability thing yet but maybe.
Did Rondo make 2 time all defensive team bc of his steal and rebound #s or was it bc he was an excellent man to man/multi position capable defender??
From what i can remember, Rondo cheated enough times to get those steals. And if he got burnt luckily he was supported by a tremendous team that really took defense seriously. Alot of the rebounds he got, KG could of just stood there in the defensive end and it would of fell onto his laps. Yes Rondo did get some timely rebounds. Yes he got some very important steals. But for me, i rather have a guy that is an excellent man to man defender 1st. AB for all that he has done, only has a 2nd all defensive team under his belt. Tony Allen didn't even make the team last season. Nobody really knows what standards are used to make this team.
For me Rondo's true defensive capability or willingness to play hard defense came in the 2012-2013 season , when KG/PP lost a step. Rondo again was just cheating, not playing proper man to man D. He got burnt this time bc there weren't guys that could bail him out. Guys like Bruce Bowen, AB, Tony Allen and now Marcus Smart are considered true perimeter defensive mvp's imo.