Zinger and Jrue look AMAZING out there. We are legit.

[165bows]

I can see a difference. I feel like Tatum has continued to level up and grow up and I feel like the overall talent ceiling is drastically improved. But the team started out spectacular last season with Smart here. Every season of his career, with many drastically different rosters, the team made the playoffs. I can't believe people don't like him considering the heart he played with.

Brad's move this season were brilliant, I'm sad to see Smart go but I 100% agree with what Brad did starting with the Smart trade. Heh heh, Smart trade. But people acting like Smart was holding the team back are ridiculous and always attack with hyperbole and very little substance.

I'm somewhat with you. Sure he flopped, but he was also willing to sacrifice his body constantly. And as much as his shooting was inconsistent, the guy was a terrible shooter who got incrementally better every year...which speaks to a bucket of work being put in.

Ultimately I'm super happy, and was super ready to switch the inconsistency of Smart for the controlled, professional version in Jrue. But I respect Marcus, and I hope he's appreciated in Memphis. Too many people mail it in. He doesn't.

Amen to the 'no Smart slander' sentiment. Smart was great. Jrue -- to agree with the title of this thread -- looks AMAZING.

Do not believe it's slander to say (as I did above) that Smart was prone to losing his focus, and that seemed to have an effect on the whole team given his role as PG and heart/soul/leader.

I *really* wish the Cs had won a title with him.
I now hope for more than one with Jrue.

Here here. Loved Smart despite his flaws (his on court ones anyways) but thoroughly enjoying the new crew.

[shackles10]

We sure are an ungrateful bunch of a-holes with short memories lol. But also in a much more real sense we never forget anything either, hmmm...


I 100% include myself in that "We".

[Gant]

Smart and Holiday are both very good players.

The difference is almost stylistic. Smart plays hot; Holiday plays cool. Holiday creates cohesion. Smart creates chaos. Occasionally Marcus creates chaos for his own team.

In fairness to Smart, he never played on a Celtics team that was quite like this.

[RickyDizzle]

Smart and Holiday are both very good players.

The difference is almost stylistic. Smart plays hot; Holiday plays cool. Holiday creates cohesion. Smart creates chaos. Occasionally Marcus creates chaos for his own team.

In fairness to Smart, he never played on a Celtics team that was quite like this.

I like how you put that. Smart was more likely to do something you don't expect at a key moment, good or bad. Jrue seems to just go about his business and make sound decisions.

[ddb]

Smart and Holiday are both very good players.

The difference is almost stylistic. Smart plays hot; Holiday plays cool. Holiday creates cohesion. Smart creates chaos. Occasionally Marcus creates chaos for his own team.

In fairness to Smart, he never played on a Celtics team that was quite like this.

Smart could hypothetically thrive on a team like this as a 3rd guard IF HE WAS WILLING to play the 20-23mpg.