Basketball writer and Boston College partisan Michael Pina has penned a love letter to Craig Smith at Hardwood Paroxysm:
Craig Smith is the most offensively gifted reserve forward in the league (apologies to Carl Landry who plays nearly twice as much). His collection of scoring tactics are a grocery list that would make William Perry jealous. When the ball is in his hands and the basket is within 10 feet, there is nobody who one on one can shut him down.
It’s funny how the draft works though. For a player to carve his own niche in the NBA it seems like he’s got to dig through a brick wall with a plastic spoon. Despite what he displayed in college, players with weaker resumes like Tyrus Thomas and Josh Boone were taken above him strictly based on what they might grow to become.
…Four years later he’s now a 26-year-old in a contract year. Whichever club decides to court him for the next three or four years will not be disappointed. Sure defensively he can be taken advantage of if the other team’s got multiple giants, but on the whole he’s talented enough to tip the scales in a contender’s favor.
This past week against the Celtics and the league’s deepest, most devastating defensive front line, Smith beamed his game back to 2003 and treated his opponents like they were the Clemson Tigers. He single-handedly kept the other L.A. team in the game with 10 straight points in the fourth quarter. Elusive up and unders, head fakes, ball fakes, shoulder dropping brute force aggressiveness, all were on display as the former Eagle did as he pleased.
Did Craig Smith take over a basketball game that featured a laundry list of all-star and hall-of-fame talent? Yes, yes he did.
13 Responses
I love Rhino! Ever since i got a glimpse of him destroying the clips while on the Wolves, i thought this guy is something else. Let’s hope we can sign him as a back up to BG in case Camby walks…
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 8:43 am
There is no way camby will be a clipper next year. we need to stay with a young core and let them gel. we cannot keep turning over the rooster every year. and yes i like the HEART that Rhino shows!
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 9:08 am
thank you for your try Kevin, even if we beat the Cavaliers our self-esteem is going to be underground. The bad news of Craig Smith is the better he plays the more chances he will sign with somebody else.
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Rumor says George Karl isn’t going back to the Nuggets. I have a bad feeling, he’s gonna replace the Dunce next year.
Lawler's Law Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 10:48 am
as opposed to keeping MDsr?
stillaclipfan Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Are you serious?? We need rhino he’s a beast!
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 10:13 am
FD
you mean replacing him as a coach. Is it a bad feeling because you do not like him as a coach either. If it is so I have the same feeling.
FireDunleavy .com Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 11:42 am
He’s another coach that’s been around a long time, that’s never won it all. I just don’t don’t like his style/decisions sometimes.
stillaclipfan Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 12:51 pm
hes not a coach for the clippers i hope not. give lucas or how about mark jackson a chance?
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 11:31 am
Michael Pina got a major mancrush on Craig Smith.
stillaclipfan Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Lmfao
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 1:08 pm
At least I have not heard or read anything that Mark Jackson has badmouthed the Clippers. I do not know his experience but it might be a good choice.
MadGlove Reply:
January 29th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Do you hear him on ESPN though? JVG kills him for the dumb comments he makes and then he backtracks all the time. Listening to his sports opinions doesn’t exactly fill me with confidence.
And if we’re going to hire one of two ESPN announcers who could be coach, shouldn’t it be the guy who has experience, is well respected as a coach and makes the insightful comments more often than the other?
Posted on January 29th, 2010 at 1:41 pm
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