Author Topic: How Many (Currently Healthy) Backcourt Duos Would You Take Over Kemba - Smart?  (Read 8738 times)

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Offline Jvalin

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The best version of the Celts, IMO, have Smart at SG and Kemba at PG.
What's the rest of the lineup then?

Do we bench one of Brown/Hayward/Tatum or do we play with 2 guards, 3 wings and no big man?

Offline #1P4P

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Per NBA.com, the Walker-Smart pairing have a 6.7 Net Rating in 194 minutes, the Walker-Brown pairing has a Net Rating of 19.5 in 136 minutes, and Smart-Brown at 8.7 in 101 minutes.

This team, without a doubt, has one of the best guard rotations in the league for years to come.

Off topic: Tatum is in 4 of the team's top 6 2-Man pairings according to Net Rating.

Offline droopdog7

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Why are we discussing kemba and smart rather than kemba and brown?

Offline saltlover

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Why are we discussing kemba and smart rather than kemba and brown?

I’m guessing because it’s arguable that Brown is a frontcourt player and not a backcourt player, whereas there is less ambiguity with Snart.

Offline ETNCeltics

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Personally, I wouldn't take Houston. I don't think they fit together, and I don't think either guy will ever win a title, in spite of their immense individual talents.

I might take Portland, Damian Lillard is playing out of his mind, though McCollum is meh.

To me, the only no-brainers are GSW and Dallas. I'd have to think long and hard about Philly.

Offline gouki88

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Given Golden State are not currently healthy, they're irrelevant.

Dallas is a near given. I'd take Doncic over almost any player in the league right now. Put him & Curry alongside the two Jays, Hayward, and our motley group of bigs and I think that team is awesome.

LAL depends on whether LeBron can be classed as a guard.

Probably not for Houston. Harden is looking at career lows in deep shooting (which hasn't stopped him from taking 141 so far this season). Still scoring over a point per minute, but eh.

Not high on Simmons, so no to Philly.

I personally prefer Kemba and JB to Kemba and Smart too.
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PF: Terry Cummings (84-85) / Paul Millsap (15-16)
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Offline RockinRyA

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Given Golden State are not currently healthy, they're irrelevant.

Dallas is a near given. I'd take Doncic over almost any player in the league right now. Put him & Curry alongside the two Jays, Hayward, and our motley group of bigs and I think that team is awesome.

LAL depends on whether LeBron can be classed as a guard.

Probably not for Houston. Harden is looking at career lows in deep shooting (which hasn't stopped him from taking 141 so far this season). Still scoring over a point per minute, but eh.

Not high on Simmons, so no to Philly.

I personally prefer Kemba and JB to Kemba and Smart too.

So who would you take, Kemba and JB or Kemba and Smart? Take note that this doesnt prevent you from getting all 3 players, just want to know who you think is better as a pair.

Offline gouki88

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Given Golden State are not currently healthy, they're irrelevant.

Dallas is a near given. I'd take Doncic over almost any player in the league right now. Put him & Curry alongside the two Jays, Hayward, and our motley group of bigs and I think that team is awesome.

LAL depends on whether LeBron can be classed as a guard.

Probably not for Houston. Harden is looking at career lows in deep shooting (which hasn't stopped him from taking 141 so far this season). Still scoring over a point per minute, but eh.

Not high on Simmons, so no to Philly.

I personally prefer Kemba and JB to Kemba and Smart too.

So who would you take, Kemba and JB or Kemba and Smart? Take note that this doesnt prevent you from getting all 3 players, just want to know who you think is better as a pair.
I think that alone Kemba and Jaylen are a better pair. I love the match-up problems Brown creates at the SG position, and I think a lineup with Hayward and Tatum + a big is our best.

Heck, in some instances I'd probably have Smart in over JT
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PG: Terry Porter (90-91) / Steve Francis (00-01)
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PF: Terry Cummings (84-85) / Paul Millsap (15-16)
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Offline Somebody

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Given Golden State are not currently healthy, they're irrelevant.

Dallas is a near given. I'd take Doncic over almost any player in the league right now. Put him & Curry alongside the two Jays, Hayward, and our motley group of bigs and I think that team is awesome.

LAL depends on whether LeBron can be classed as a guard.

Probably not for Houston. Harden is looking at career lows in deep shooting (which hasn't stopped him from taking 141 so far this season). Still scoring over a point per minute, but eh.

Not high on Simmons, so no to Philly.

I personally prefer Kemba and JB to Kemba and Smart too.

So who would you take, Kemba and JB or Kemba and Smart? Take note that this doesnt prevent you from getting all 3 players, just want to know who you think is better as a pair.
I think that alone Kemba and Jaylen are a better pair. I love the match-up problems Brown creates at the SG position, and I think a lineup with Hayward and Tatum + a big is our best.

Heck, in some instances I'd probably have Smart in over JT
Yeah Brown's a matchup problem at SG. This isn't a knock on Smart, Jaylen's playing like an All-Star right now.
Jaylen Brown for All-NBA

Offline Androslav

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I'd take Kemba and Smart over anyone healthy.
When you put Brown in, then no team comes close.
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Offline johnnygreen

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I've seen a few people mention Dallas, as pretty much a lock, that they have a better backcourt. I agree that Doncic is an elite player, but his counterpart in Curry, would be a backup on most teams. Doncic is an overall better player than Kemba, but they even themselves out scoring wise. There simply is no comparison between Brown (and even Smart) to Curry. I think the Celtics clearly have the better backcourt between the two teams.

Offline Somebody

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I've seen a few people mention Dallas, as pretty much a lock, that they have a better backcourt. I agree that Doncic is an elite player, but his counterpart in Curry, would be a backup on most teams. Doncic is an overall better player than Kemba, but they even themselves out scoring wise. There simply is no comparison between Brown (and even Smart) to Curry. I think the Celtics clearly have the better backcourt between the two teams.
Agreed. Doncic still isn't that MVP calibre guy yet to make up for his subpar backcourt mate.
Jaylen Brown for All-NBA

Offline Androslav

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I've seen a few people mention Dallas, as pretty much a lock, that they have a better backcourt. I agree that Doncic is an elite player, but his counterpart in Curry, would be a backup on most teams. Doncic is an overall better player than Kemba, but they even themselves out scoring wise. There simply is no comparison between Brown (and even Smart) to Curry. I think the Celtics clearly have the better backcourt between the two teams.
Agreed. Doncic still isn't that MVP calibre guy yet to make up for his subpar backcourt mate.
Seth Curry...I mean, we are better than this guys. Let's gather our thoughts.
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Offline Moranis

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Boston: Kemba Brown.

I do not agree with Pho's opinion that a Kemba Smart backcourt is better than a Kemba Brown backcourt.


My point was that the team is better with both Smart and Kemba on the floor, and if that's the case, they're the backcourt.  Doesn't mean Jaylen isn't also on the floor.
Are they really?  Smart is +8.8 on the year.  That is behind Tatum, Walker, Hayward, Brown, and Theis (Poirier also, but I'm not counting him).  And Theis has him more than doubled and Tatum nearly has him doubled.  The on-off per 100 possessions for Smart is only a very meager +0.4.  So the team is only slightly better with him on the floor then when he is on the bench. 

Tatum is the real value player with an on-off per 100 possession of +27.4, which through 10 games is absolutely astronomically (especially with his poor shooting to start the year).  It also goes to the point that the team lacks a credible PF outside of Tatum on the roster.  If Tatum gets hurt, the team is in big trouble.  More so than any other player.
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Offline nickagneta

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Boston: Kemba Brown.

I do not agree with Pho's opinion that a Kemba Smart backcourt is better than a Kemba Brown backcourt.


My point was that the team is better with both Smart and Kemba on the floor, and if that's the case, they're the backcourt.  Doesn't mean Jaylen isn't also on the floor.
Are they really?  Smart is +8.8 on the year.  That is behind Tatum, Walker, Hayward, Brown, and Theis (Poirier also, but I'm not counting him).  And Theis has him more than doubled and Tatum nearly has him doubled.  The on-off per 100 possessions for Smart is only a very meager +0.4.  So the team is only slightly better with him on the floor then when he is on the bench. 

Tatum is the real value player with an on-off per 100 possession of +27.4, which through 10 games is absolutely astronomically (especially with his poor shooting to start the year).  It also goes to the point that the team lacks a credible PF outside of Tatum on the roster.  If Tatum gets hurt, the team is in big trouble.  More so than any other player.
Except Tatum hasn't been playing PF. Brown, when in, has taken the defensive assignments on PFs. His main covers have been Hachimura, Porzingas, Randle, PJ Washington, Horford and Siakam.

Tatum's great numbers are probably due, in part, to the fact that when in lineups with Brown and Hayward or Hayward and Smart or Brown and Smart, Tatum is usually defending the worst offensive player playing the 2-4 position for the opposition.

Notice I said in part. Jayson, to his credit, has been playing great defense, it's just easier to do when not matched up with the opposition's top or 2nd best offensive option.

Brown playing mostly PF complicates the argument that he is even a guard but, I think he is most effective at SG, hence why I think a Brown Kemba pairing is this team's best backcourt.