If you're stat watching, you'll complain about his night. If you watched the game, you'll note he was key in changing the script in the first half. Just elite effort, hustle, energy and communication. Love the tone change with the Smart/Vando lineups tonight.
Lets hope he follows in the tradition of ex ******* who have left their mark here and won championships. So far so good.
One of those players where the stat sheet won't tell the full story. Hustled every play and provided the energy the Lakers needed, especially in the third. That steal on Randle and the Lakers getting a wide open dunk on the other end killed any chance of a comeback from the Wolves.
He changed the game, we looked flat, ready to quit, and he just came in with Vando and wasn’t having it. If, and it’s a big if, he can stay healthy he’s a huge pickup, he’s the type of player we have been sorely lacking for years.
Thing is, even though he didn't score much, you know he can, the opposition doesn't ignore him on defense. He is more than capable of giving us 15-25 on a given night but he knows that is not what he is here for. He is here for his elite defensive skills and that is what he in concerned with. He was awesome out there tonight, really disrupted the whole Minnesota team. Vando did pretty good too. Loved the defensive energy they brought.
Fun guy to watch. The hustle, the swag to do a wrap around no look to sorry Marcus it was Vando that was wide open lol. Finally have a guy like Caruso who isn't an a****** like Beverly
Ayton at his best 16/10 with 2 blocks and decent defence raises the ceiling of this team. If we get that it means we can contend. But a healthy Smart, well he raises the floor. His defence and play making are helpful, but his hustle is contagious and will have guys playing hard nightly. I seriously hope he can stay healthy, game changer for us.
I’m really pleased with Smart’s hustle and defensive energy. He’s bringing that intensity on every possession, diving for loose balls, contesting everything, and setting the tone for the team.
I just love him He's our Caruso. These type of guys are great on a contender. Can change games in a couple plays. Get everyone going without scoring a point. Hope he's healthy and I'd prioritize his health over anything. Meaning I rather have him 70 games at 20mpg than 45 at 25mpg.
was thinking this while watching the game. we just need this guy for 20mpg to do what he does best. resist the urge to over-deploy; just reap the energy/tone-setting benefits.
That’s a lazy take. That’s like saying Jerry West isn’t a winning player. They made the finals with Smart and the conference finals 4 additional times. You just can’t get over the hump everytime - especially when you’re not the best team that year.
they needed more of a pg on offense, which was what holiday brought. i think if they had smart in white's role, they still win that title. holiday was the missing piece.
And they had both Zinger and Horrors. That was an absolute stacked Boston team It will be funny if Smart can win a title as a key piece of the Lakers. He seems to have a better connection with the fans then guy like Brown and if he won a title with the Lakers that would be one hell of a chefs kiss in the rivalry.
