Marcus Smart: the anti-Curry

[LilRip]

GSW has obv. taken over the league this year but while watching the Thunder-Warriors game today, I couldn't help but take note of the Westbrook Curry match up, and thought of how Smart would've fit into all this.

Now, Curry is obviously lethal offensively, and he gets a lot of good looks when bigs switch onto him via off-ball screens. What could slow him down are guards who are able to fight through these off-ball picks, which Smart (and Bradley) is one of the best in the league at.

However, on defense, Curry is pretty average and this is where I see Smart making him pay. The times Westbrook posted up, it usually led to good things for OKC. Obviously, Smart has a long way to go offensively but if he's able to polish his post up game more, I think it may be the key to exploiting that GSW defense (which gets an annoyingly amount of "benefit-of-the-doubt" calls).

I realize we're not meeting GSW in the playoffs unless we make it to the Finals, but I do think it's interesting that we have one of the few keys in the league to beating them. Draymond Green is obviously another problem but Curry is really the engine that makes it all work. If you slow him down, you can win. Now, we just need to upgrade the rest of the roster and if we meet them in June a couple of years from now, I think we stand a very good chance at hoisting #18.

[Greyman]

Not very long ago posts like this would have had people saying it is crazy or naive to compare our roster or anyone on it to GSW and Curry. While we still have some work to do with the rebuild, it is great that legitimate comparisons can be made based on what the Celtics are achieving. Doing so well that DA felt confident enough not to be pushed into over paying for roster additions before the deadline.

I am not sure how far Smart can go on offence though it is clear he hasn't reached his limit. His defence is, as we all know, top shelf. I have no doubt that, even in a world where nobody is safe from being traded, Smart is as close as anyone to having a safe future as a Celtic.

[Dino Pitino]

TP. You don't beat Superman with another high-flying superhero in a cape, you beat him with Kryptonite. Or, like, the Hulk. (I'm not too knowledgeable about comics, lol, but you get the gist.) Our best hope of overcoming the best offense of this generation is to level the playing field with the best defense of this generation. I see Smart as a crucial, nay, indispensable part of that plan, developing into the best defensive guard of his generation, and for that reason would not dare to let him go in any deal. He should be as untouchable as it gets.

[Ogaju]

this is why I laughed at the so called deal to send SMART, CROWDER, AND 2016 BKN pick to Chicago for Butler.

Like I said in that thread, I would not trade Smart for Butler straight up.

[chilidawg]

The trade for Butler is probably close to fair.  You absolutely trade Smart for Butler straight up.

[Ogaju]

Yall don't get the intangibles Smart brings to the game.

[tarheelsxxiii]

chilidawg is right -- that's about a fair deal. Most posters here say it's an outrageous overpay, yet literally all of my non-Celtic friends said we weren't offering enough. The truth is probably right in the middle.

It is still absurd to compare the Celtics to GS, though. And let's be honest... no one is slowing down Steph Curry. He does whatever he wants on a nightly basis. That team is primed for several champions, health permitting.

Edit: WOWWW that was perfectly timed. Chef just pulled up from about 40 feet to put OKC to bed. What an absolute monster. We are blessed to be witnesses.

[Ogaju]

please give me Jimmy Butler's numbers and also what he does in the leadership department.

Thanks

[KeepRondo]

this is why I laughed at the so called deal to send SMART, CROWDER, AND 2016 BKN pick to Chicago for Butler.

Like I said in that thread, I would not trade Smart for Butler straight up.

Butler is one of the best two way players. Smart only plays one side of the ball.

Ainge is making this trade easy.

[Ogaju]

IF YOU SAY SO

[tarheelsxxiii]

Ogaju - A decision of that magnitude has little to do with numbers. You can't compare these guys solely based on stats to get the complete picture. At some point, when you're considering game-changers, you go way beyond that... that's precisely why DA would be willing to overpay for a "star."

Crowder's per 36 numbers, alone, aren't far off from Butler's (this year). His shooting splits are all better, he's a slightly better rebounder, too. Probably average 5-6 PPG less/per 36. But one of them can score buckets for you in crunch time during a playoff series, and the other can't. That's what you're paying for. Nothing more, nothing less.

[LilRip]

chilidawg is right -- that's about a fair deal. Most posters here say it's an outrageous overpay, yet literally all of my non-Celtic friends said we weren't offering enough. The truth is probably right in the middle.

It is still absurd to compare the Celtics to GS, though. And let's be honest... no one is slowing down Steph Curry. He does whatever he wants on a nightly basis. That team is primed for several champions, health permitting.

Edit: WOWWW that was perfectly timed. Chef just pulled up from about 40 feet to put OKC to bed. What an absolute monster. We are blessed to be witnesses.

You're not stopping Steph but you can slow him down. I don't think Curry can come out and hit 12-16 3's against this C's team.

[loco_91]

Great offense beats great defense every time, and Curry is having arguably the greatest offensive season of all time. Smart is a really good defender and a developing scorer, but he isn't going to do much against Curry on either end.

[Csfan1984]

Great offense beats great defense every time, and Curry is having arguably the greatest offensive season of all time. Smart is a really good defender and a developing scorer, but he isn't going to do much against Curry on either end.

He plays Curry better than any one else. Enough for Curry and Thompson both tend to give the ball up to the other who is not being guarded by Smart. Smart slows him down big time.

[Denis998]

I think the only thing that can stop Steph is Kryptonite. Unfortunately, that stuff doesn't exist in the real world.