The toughest five players I've ever guarded by Marcus Smart

[Monkhouse]

Marcus Smart posted his player's tribune of the 5 toughest guards he's ever had. (Technically, it's actually six since he mentioned Giannis.)

I found a lot of his reasoning behind his choices very interesting.

In no order:
Kawhi
Kyrie
George
Giannis
AD
Curry

Thoughts on this guys?

Link is below:
https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/marcus-smart-celtics-5-toughest

[Fafnir]

Thanks for the link!

[perks-a-beast]

No earthly idea how Hardens not on that list...I feel like he lights us up consistently. And Smart guards him a good chunk of those games.

[droopdog7]

No earthly idea how Hardens not on that list...I feel like he lights us up consistently. And Smart guards him a good chunk of those games.

From my recollection, smart does as good a job as anyone at guarding harden.  So much so that I’ve actually seen harden become passive when smart is on him.

[timpiker]

Look at that list.  He guards them in all sizes.  Smart is a treasure.

[Monkhouse]

No earthly idea how Hardens not on that list...I feel like he lights us up consistently. And Smart guards him a good chunk of those games.

I feel like Smart has some kind of real estate in Harden's head. Definitely has given him one of the most biggest fits on defense out of all great defenders minus Kawhi/PG.

[footey]

Add Buddy Hield to that list, Mahcus.

[Androslav]

LBJ is on that list.
K Love did him well in the PO, last game Marcus did him.

[wiley]

No earthly idea how Hardens not on that list...I feel like he lights us up consistently. And Smart guards him a good chunk of those games.

Points scored on him is not necessarily exactly the same thing.  If Harden is on fire with his step back, that doesn't mean the defender had to work harder that game.  I think Marcus is saying actually taxing and or complicated to guard from the first play of the game. 

[Roy H.]

Throwing shade by not including Lebron?

[slamtheking]

No earthly idea how Hardens not on that list...I feel like he lights us up consistently. And Smart guards him a good chunk of those games.

I feel like Smart has some kind of real estate in Harden's head. Definitely has given him one of the most biggest fits on defense out of all great defenders minus Kawhi/PG.

was thinking the same thing.  he's already working on drawing that next offensive foul 

[IDreamCeltics]

Definitely surprised that Buddy Hield isn't on this list. 
Smart can't even slow him down.

[18isGREATERthan72]

Definitely surprised that Buddy Hield isn't on this list. 
Smart can't even slow him down.

I didn't do an in depth watch of the game last night, but was Marcus really even guarding Buddy mostly?  I felt like it was Jaylen mostly, and the one time I remember Marcus on Buddy was at the end of the game when he stole the ball from him.

[CelticsWhat35]

Definitely surprised that Buddy Hield isn't on this list. 
Smart can't even slow him down.

I feel like that was more a product of Brad’s “switch on everything” defensive philosophy than him actually scoring on Smart

[CelticsPoetry]

Definitely surprised that Buddy Hield isn't on this list. 
Smart can't even slow him down.

I feel like that was more a product of Brad’s “switch on everything” defensive philosophy than him actually scoring on Smart

The inability to defend Hield coming off a simple screen got me thinking. If they cant defend this guy, imagine them chasing Ray Allen around screens. He would hit 15 threes easily