Rookie Rondo vs. Rookie Smart?

[Pucaccia]

Who do you like better Rookie Rondo or Rookie Smart?

I take Smart because he is tenacious on defense, shoots better from the field and can hit free throws.

Rookie Rondo was good on defense, was a better assist guy but I always hated that he couldn't shoot or make free throws...

[Fafnir]

Smart isn't a better FT shooter than Rondo (as a rookie) by a margin that's statistically significant. Especially given the number of free throws he's shot.

Smart 40/60 66.67%
Rondo 119/184 64.7%

He's certainly a better 3 point shooter.

[D.o.s.]

Telfair.

[LarBrd33]

Rondo averaged 6.4 points, 3.8 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.6 steals on 42%/20%/65% shooting in 23.5mpg

Smart averaging 6.8 points, 3.5 assists, 2.9 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 37%/35%/67% shooting in 24.4mpg

Similar...

but rookies generally improve the second half the season.  Smart's yet to have his best statistical games this year.  His season ending averages will be better than they are right now.

[colincb]

By the achieved numbers Rondo wins. Rondo had a better PER by a significant margin. Better assists, steals, rebounds, and points allowed per 100 possessions. Smart has the better TS% by a significant margin, has only played 37 games, and is injured.

By my eyes as a rookie, Rondo.  As a pure PG, Smart will never be close to Rondo and if Smart doesn't get past being a 3 and D combo guard then he's not going to surpass Rondo's accomplishments. However, he's shown enough to think he might and he's been able to improve significantly in a major facet of the game.

[acieEarl]

Telfair.

As I recall, Rondo didn't get much playing time till the end of the year. Telfair was a HS kid in his 3rd year and we used the 6th pick to get him so he was the one who had the better opportunity. Smart/Telfair is better comparison as there expectations were about the same. Rondo really came into his own late in the year and pushed Telfair out the door.

[D.o.s.]

Telfair.

As I recall, Rondo didn't get much playing time till the end of the year. Telfair was a HS kid in his 3rd year and we used the 6th pick to get him so he was the one who had the better opportunity. Smart/Telfair is better comparison as there expectations were about the same. Rondo really came into his own late in the year and pushed Telfair out the door.

Oh, I was actually talking about rookie Telfair, although I haven't watched as much Marcus as I would have liked.

http://bkref.com/tiny/nFr7D

[droopdog7]

This is where numbers are pretty much garbage.  I know I will get bashed or told that I have faulty memory because of what Rondo eventually became, but based on the eye test, not close.

You could see, from the word go, that Rondo has "it".  He made spectacular play after spectacular play that first season (in a similar situation as Smart BTW).  And not, not revisionist history.

I am still waiting to see something, anything from Smart that tells me he can be a future star.  But yes, the defense is great.

[P stoff]

Having Allen, House, Posey, Kg and PP might have helped Rondo in the assist department just a smidge...

[Greyman]

Having Allen, House, Posey, Kg and PP might have helped Rondo in the assist department just a smidge...

True and significant for this comparison. Veteran Rondo wasn't setting the world on fire with this squad. Though to be fair, he was coming back from injury.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Having Allen, House, Posey, Kg and PP might have helped Rondo in the assist department just a smidge...

That was Rondo's 2nd year

[D.o.s.]

Having Allen, House, Posey, Kg and PP might have helped Rondo in the assist department just a smidge...

Perhaps, but the only Allen on the team during his rookie season was Tony.

[tstorey_97]

Perfectly reasonable debate...they play(ed) for the same team as rookies etc.

Obviously, apples and oranges, the two share little in the style department.

Rondo has a handle, comparatively, Smart does not.

Rondo is an assist machine to the point of setting records on a team that has the most records.
Smart is finding his groove, but, I don't think his assist numbers will ever be gaudy.

Someone used this descriptor here last week.

Smart is a terror on defense. Rondo is a good defender.

For an old Boston Celtics fan "terror on defense" is just about all there is. What this dynamic creates for a team on the floor is difficult to quantify. Russell/Garnett required the opponent's coach to plan for them.

Adjustments would have to be made etc, but, that is not the da&* point. The opposing players/coach had a little KG running around INSIDE of their heads for the whole game yelling at them.

Should Smaht get enough of this juju going for his self? The enemy will be ours. 

[jpotter33]

Who do you like better Rookie Rondo or Rookie Smart?

I take Smart because he is tenacious on defense, shoots better from the field and can hit free throws.

Rookie Rondo was good on defense, was a better assist guy but I always hated that he couldn't shoot or make free throws...

Admittedly, I didn't get to watch much of Rondo's rookie season, but I think a pretty good case could be made for either player, though I'm not sure how fair comparisons like these are and how much they even matter. Rondo had two pretty good players on his team in Pierce and Jefferson that are better than any of Smart's teammates, wasn't dealing with Smart's injury he had this year, and wasn't playing during the golden age of point guards during his rookie year. Smart is playing in an extremely bad East that Rondo wasn't playing in, too, so the contexts of each situation make this comparison hard. I think good cases can be made both ways, but since Smart is our future, I'm going with him. 

[colincb]

Perfectly reasonable debate...they play(ed) for the same team as rookies etc.

Obviously, apples and oranges, the two share little in the style department.

Rondo has a handle, comparatively, Smart does not.

Rondo is an assist machine to the point of setting records on a team that has the most records.
Smart is finding his groove, but, I don't think his assist numbers will ever be gaudy.

Someone used this descriptor here last week.

Smart is a terror on defense. Rondo is a good defender.

For an old Boston Celtics fan "terror on defense" is just about all there is. What this dynamic creates for a team on the floor is difficult to quantify. Russell/Garnett required the opponent's coach to plan for them.

Adjustments would have to be made etc, but, that is not the da&* point. The opposing players/coach had a little KG running around INSIDE of their heads for the whole game yelling at them.

Should Smaht get enough of this juju going for his self? The enemy will be ours.

Maybe you're referring to where the two players are as of today, but if not... Rondo was 1st team all defense twice and 2nd team twice. Among active players he has the 8th best careerr defensive rating per 100 possessions. That qualifies as something better than 'good,' especially among point guards.