The 2007 Most Improved Player: Michael Smith
Posted by Kevin Arnovitz on Sun, 04/01/07, 06:52pm:
That’s right. I said it.
He’s still weird. And achingly earnest. And oleaginous. And he still needs to clip his remarks after a nice play so that he doesn’t drone on into the next possession. But once you get past all that, the fact is that Smith has had a solid season as the Clips’ color man alongside Ralph Lawler. He understands the game, and he’s gotten very good at imparting that knowledge. Watching a fluid Chicago offensive set on a recent road trip, Smith instantly drew a clever on-the-spot comparison between the Bulls’ score that resulted from a Hinrich drive off a split to a scheme Jerry Sloan likes to run in Utah in the flex with a quick entry pass into the post, followed by a baseline cross-screen coupled with a similar split. Mike has been a big proponent of Elton working more off the dribble, and has noticed that the Clips’ recent improvement can largely be attributed to better D on the S/R, and the off-the-ball work by Maggette.
So wade through the syrupiness – which he’s moderated somewhat – and you can learn a fair amount about what’s going on from Mike Smith. For this reason, Clipperblog gives its 2006-2007 M. I. P. Award to Michael Smith.
He’s still weird. And achingly earnest. And oleaginous. And he still needs to clip his remarks after a nice play so that he doesn’t drone on into the next possession. But once you get past all that, the fact is that Smith has had a solid season as the Clips’ color man alongside Ralph Lawler. He understands the game, and he’s gotten very good at imparting that knowledge. Watching a fluid Chicago offensive set on a recent road trip, Smith instantly drew a clever on-the-spot comparison between the Bulls’ score that resulted from a Hinrich drive off a split to a scheme Jerry Sloan likes to run in Utah in the flex with a quick entry pass into the post, followed by a baseline cross-screen coupled with a similar split. Mike has been a big proponent of Elton working more off the dribble, and has noticed that the Clips’ recent improvement can largely be attributed to better D on the S/R, and the off-the-ball work by Maggette.
So wade through the syrupiness – which he’s moderated somewhat – and you can learn a fair amount about what’s going on from Mike Smith. For this reason, Clipperblog gives its 2006-2007 M. I. P. Award to Michael Smith.
Noel wrote: