Smart vs. Brogdon

[Ogaju]

if you could decide both come back or neither comes back for this series, which option would you choose?

Basically I am asking which of the two is more important to their team for this series.

[hpantazo]

Bucks need Brogdon much more than the Celtics need Smart. Jaylen has flourished filling in for Smart, whereas the Bucks have a major weak spot at the starting 2, and the Celtics are exploiting it.

[nickagneta]

Bucks need Brogdon much more than the Celtics need Smart. Jaylen has flourished filling in for Smart, whereas the Bucks have a major weak spot at the starting 2, and the Celtics are exploiting it.

Yeah, Brown's defense has been almost as good as we could have expected from Smart but Smart could never consistently give the team the offense that Brown does.

Brown, right now, is this team's most efficient scorer in the playoffs and has been on fire since early March.

[Roy H.]

Neither. Our team is playing great without Smart.

[Who]

Neither.

Brogdon is better than Smart. More efficient offensively.

As others have said, C's have better depth and are coping with loss better.

Also - if Smart did return, I am worried how his jump-shot would be effected from the injury and the long layoff. Smart is an unreliable shooter who has struggled with his jumper post injuries in the past. Nowhere near as concerned about Brogdon who is a pure shooter.

[Ogaju]

since it is clear that Celtics win this 'trade-off' is there a sense of urgency for the Cs to maximize the advantage to go up 2-0 before Brogdon comes back?

[nickagneta]

since it is clear that Celtics win this 'trade-off' is there a sense of urgency for the Cs to maximize the advantage to go up 2-0 before Brogdon comes back?

I think there is a sense of urgency to win every single game this post season for the Celtics. Brogdon or no Brogdon. Smart or no Smart. They are playing with urgency, passion, intensity and a will to win no matter who they are facing in these playoffs so far.

[Ogaju]

since it is clear that Celtics win this 'trade-off' is there a sense of urgency for the Cs to maximize the advantage to go up 2-0 before Brogdon comes back?

I think there is a sense of urgency to win every single game this post season for the Celtics. Brogdon or no Brogdon. Smart or no Smart. They are playing with urgency, passion, intensity and a will to win no matter who they are facing in these playoffs so far.

As it should be, perhaps I should have said extra sense of urgency to capitalize on the 'advantage'.

[Sophomore]

Neither.

Brogdon is better than Smart. More efficient offensively.

As others have said, C's have better depth and are coping with loss better.

Also - if Smart did return, I am worried how his jump-shot would be effected from the injury and the long layoff. Smart is an unreliable shooter who has struggled with his jumper post injuries in the past. Nowhere near as concerned about Brogdon who is a pure shooter.

I’m not sure I agree that Brogdon is better, but no question the Bucks miss him more than we miss Smart this series. The drop off to Brogdon’s back up is really steep – they really miss his whole game, shooting, defense, attacking closeouts. And every minute for Connaughton is a disaster for them. Can’t remember an NBA player being so ineffective on D pretty much ever; Gordon got around him immediately, pretty much every time.

[Neurotic Guy]

since it is clear that Celtics win this 'trade-off' is there a sense of urgency for the Cs to maximize the advantage to go up 2-0 before Brogdon comes back?

I think there is a sense of urgency to win every single game this post season for the Celtics. Brogdon or no Brogdon. Smart or no Smart. They are playing with urgency, passion, intensity and a will to win no matter who they are facing in these playoffs so far.

As it should be, perhaps I should have said extra sense of urgency to capitalize on the 'advantage'.

I don't think it's a factor in their heads or playing into any specific strategy.  They are (should be) going all out to win every game regardless of the lineup they are facing.   Of course they'll want to take advantage of the Bucks sans Brogden, but I think the mindset is the same.  I doubt they are thinking that they better win while Brogden is out… or else.

[hodgy03038]

Yes Brogdon is good and the Bucks certainly miss him more than we miss Smart but there is NO WAY that Brogdon is better than Smart. Smart is far superior to Brogdon IMO.

I would rather see neither back at this point because I don't want the Bucks to get another weapon and I certainly don't want Smart to come back early and get re-injured. We need him more for future series.

[LarBrd33]

Brogdon is massive for the Bucks.  Boston is arguably better without Smart.  No comparison.

1000%, I'd rather Brogdon stay out of this series.   This team's problem all season has been "too many guys" and it's not a coincidence we've been playing better with one less guy out there needing minutes.

[nickagneta]

Brogdon is massive for the Bucks.  Boston is arguably better without Smart.  No comparison.

1000%, I'd rather Brogdon stay out of this series.   This team's problem all season has been "too many guys" and it's not a coincidence we've been playing better with one less guy out there needing minutes.

I absolutely knew and even wrote earlier someone would make this absurd comment.

Sorry, LB, I know you love playing the contrarianism, but this team is not better without Smart.

[LarBrd33]

Brogdon is massive for the Bucks.  Boston is arguably better without Smart.  No comparison.

1000%, I'd rather Brogdon stay out of this series.   This team's problem all season has been "too many guys" and it's not a coincidence we've been playing better with one less guy out there needing minutes.

I absolutely knew and even wrote earlier someone would make this absurd comment.

Sorry, LB, I know you love playing the contrarianism, but this team is not better without Smart.

It's not absurd.  It's not contrarianism. 

This team has struggled all season with "too many guys".  Way too many guys who need minutes, need touches... nobody can get in a rhythm.  It's the key reason we finished with 49 wins.  It's the key reason our chemistry suffered.

It's the reason why we went 11-3 without Kyrie.

it's the reason why we went 8-0 without Jaylen

It's the reason why we won our first 6 games without Horford.

It's the reason why we've won 6 straight games without Smart.

Too many [dang] guys.  They are all talented, but you remove one or more of them and the rotations just make more sense.

Right now, we're able to basically play the same rotations we had last season, but with Kyrie and Hayward in place of Rozier and Smart (and Rozier getting the minutes that Larkin got). 

You add Smart back into the mix, suddenly you are losing minutes for someone who needs them... that throws off rhythm.   It becomes a problem.

Unless you're willing to tell Terry Rozier to start getting DNPs for the "greater good", I think there's a very good argument to be made that less is more - and this team is probably going to play better without 1 more guy needing 25-30 minutes.

Smart brings a lot to the table, but if having him out there means Hayward and Brown are in a funk, it's a net loss.

[hodgy03038]

Numbers may support Brogdon being better than Smart but I disagree. If I need a steal or a block or someone diving on the floor for a loose ball or one of these two players playing defense on a big I will take Smart 100 times out of 100.