Let me start by saying I think the Bucks are the best team in the East. Being the best doesn't mean you will make it to the finals, and the winner of Brooklyn / Boston will make for one heck of a battle.
I agree that I think we would match up better with the Nets even though they have Durant and Irving.
The Celtics just seem to be a tough team similar to the Bucks. Smart just always battles and seems to disrupt the Bucks, thought I would take Jrue every day over Smart.
With that being said, I think Smart can really be a difference maker in a series, as it seems the playoffs the game becomes more physical which is right up his alley. Same can be said for Holiday.
I was highlighting Smart's strengths but saying Jrue is the better all-around PG. Jrue's scoring, shooting, playmaking and rebounding all better (career and this season). Jrue's shooting %'s this year are off the charts.
Smart:
Career - 10.5 (PPG), 38.2% (FGs), 32.1% (3FGs), 4.5 (AST), 3.6 (REB)
This Season - 12.1 (PPG), 41.8% (FGs), 33.1% (3FGs), 5.9 (AST), 3.8 (REB)
Holiday:
Career - 16.2 (PPG), 46% (FGs), 36.3% (3FGs), 6.4 (AST), 4 (REB)
This Season - 18.3 (PPG), 50.1% (FGs), 41.1% (3FGs), 6.8 (AST), 4.5 (REB)
Last edited by mufan2003; 04-19-2022 at 03:07 PM.
Jrue isn't even underrated defensively. People in the league know how good Jrue is defensively. If Jokic wins MVP this year, does that mean he is better than Giannis?
Jrue Holiday has 3 All-NBA Defense appearances and Marcus Smart has 2 appearances. It is a push defensively, but Jrue clearly the better offensive/all-around player:
All-NBA Defensive Team
17-18: Holiday-1st Team
18-19: Smart-1st Team, Holiday-2nd Team
19-20: Smart-1st Team
20-21: Holiday-1st Team
*As a sidenote, Giannis with 4 All-NBA Defense selections with 3 of those being 1st Team.
Last edited by mufan2003; 04-19-2022 at 03:09 PM.
Andre Iguodala: "It's like Steph Curry or Kevin Durant on offense, he's (Jrue) that guy on defense.":
https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1515047153932058624
Last edited by mufan2003; 04-19-2022 at 03:04 PM.
While we all seem to think Holiday is the better overall player and we'd prefer him over Smart, as Alpha Bangura pointed out, Smart did win defensive player so he is really good.
For sure, although I would go with "really good" defensively. He is a bit too streaky offensively for my taste, not a consistent playmaker.
Smart did make a hell of a pass on Sunday to win the game when most people thought he would panic and hoist up a shot. A series against Boston would be very tough, like the ECSF last year against Brooklyn (potentially).
Last edited by mufan2003; 04-19-2022 at 03:54 PM.