Lavine's not a point guard.
But then, Smart probably isn't, either.
Who would you rather have as your starting SG?
Lavine is averaging almost 4 assists per game in 23 minutes, so it's not like he's Nick Young out there.
I love Smart's defense, and I still think he gets the nod because of that, but at some point he's going to have to become a more reliable and consistent offensive player. Zach Lavine is a dangerous scorer already, and he's a year younger.
Down in Orlando, Elfrid Payton is still a work in progress. But he's starting to hit the occasional three, and he's getting to the line a ton.
Smart has won me over with his defense and intangibles, but I am legitimately worried the Celts might have left two superior guard prospects on the board.
A good lead guard has to be able to attack and get into the paint to create opportunities for himself and teammates, whether it's by strength, guile, speed, or sick handles. Smart hasn't shown that he can do that.
I saw Payton against the Lakers and he cannot shoot at all and he only goes to the line 3 times the same rate as Smart.
Payton's only averaging 3 trips to the line per game, that's true, but in the last 5 games he's averaging over 6. He's also hitting 75% from the line this year, which is much better than last year.
It's true, he's a poor shooter, but he's been hitting the occasional three pointer, which would be a big deal even if he just adds the ability to hit a wide open shot.
My biggest concern with Smart v Payton is that Smart doesn't seem like he can even get inside that often. Payton isn't a great scorer by any means, but at least he's shown that he can get inside, attack, and get to the line. Not just once in a while, but fairly consistently.
I dunno, I like Smart. I'm just starting to worry that his offense isn't coming. I was hoping we'd see him take the reins and attack more this year. Yes, he's dealing with a toe injury, but he had an injury that held him back most of last year, too. Makes me wonder if foot injuries, and his lack of natural speed, agility, or above average ball-handling will prevent him from realizing his potential inside the three point line.
