Hoopinion 's Bret Lagree brought up two key points about Josh Smith in response to yesterday's Smith-versus-Deng column in this space:
Because Steve (admittedly) doesn't see the Hawks play very often, he overrates Smith's defense (great shot blocker, good help defender, reckless gambler, and helpless when posted up against) and understates his poor shot selection (which is, again, so bad because he's so effective when he attacks the basket).
Unlike yours truly, Bret does watch the Hawks on a nightly basis, and his willingness to contribute to what has been a very enjoyable (albeit rather one-sided) discussion is much appreciated. Given the lack of Hawks boosters in the comments section yesterday, I would be curious to hear more from him on the Smith-Deng issue overall. Thanks for weighing in, Bret.