Many fans will jokingly call Ronin players collecting rainbow jerseys, but for players, this is not an after-dinner pastime, but a real player survival story in the NBA full of star halo, and Ish Smith is one of the few Ronin players among the vast number of players. A chance to build a stable career.
Dwane Casey especially liked to put two or even three point guards on the court when he was with the Toronto Raptors, such as Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Delon Wright. More ball handlers meant more pick-and-rolls, cuts or shooting range. It also represents more offensive opportunities.
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After Casey also brought this tactical system to the Detroit Pistons, he also used Ish Smith as the core of many tactics. Smith is the current ball handler of the Pistons' second team, a position he was very accustomed to in the past, but what is different from the past is that Smith will also play with starters such as Reggie Jackson, even in the stalemate period at the end of the game. For example, in the second game of the season, Smith passed Jabari Parker and hit a winning layup. In the next game, he scored 21 points against his old team, the Sixers.
For Smith, this journey looked very fantastic from the beginning. He would go undrafted in the 2010 draft. Although he was favored by NBA teams, no team had much patience with this guard who was not very good on the outside and often rushed over his head. Most of them were in the mood of opening a lucky bag to see if Smith was suitable. He transferred to 10 teams in 7 years and was a standard NBA fringe rogue. He only stayed with the 76ers for the entire season in 2013-14.
Everything that seems difficult to others is extremely easy for Smith, because his belief in realizing his dream has never changed. "I will not feel any setbacks about it. I will work hard from the beginning and build trust step by step. This is my belief." Smith Said, "If I was selected in the draft but didn't get a chance or didn't play well, I might feel disappointed. But I started from scratch and had no baggage. I could only work hard. Even if I got the chance, I would just Will work harder."
Smith’s biggest feature is speed.Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins have both certified that Smith has the fastest skills in the league. However, speed is a double-edged sword in the NBA and cannot be converted into other skills. It cannot allow Smith's shooting percentage to exceed 40%, cannot enhance his organizational vision, and may even turn into mistakes.
When moving around various teams in the early stages of his career, Smith spent a lot of time studying the star players of each team, including Kyle Lowry and Aaron Brooks, Mike Conley, who were still with the Rockets at the time.Russell Westbrook andSteph CurryOn the one hand, he studies how these players make good use of speed to create opportunities. On the other hand, he observes the shooting movements and timing of star players, and captures the characteristics of each player and integrates them into his own training policies.
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Smith's skills gradually matured with the accumulation of experience. It happened that the Sixers, who were almost rebuilding, needed a point guard, so Smith was traded from the Pelicans. He also seized the opportunity to score 14.7 points, 7 assists and 1.3 steals. Achievements, and received a three-year, 18 million contract with the Pistons. "I always tell myself that hanging around various teams is just a part of the career journey. I don't know if there will be an end." Smith said, "The important thing is to find a place where he belongs. In his position, Philadelphia gave him a chance, but Detroit provided a place to stay."
For the first time in Detroit, he experienced what stability is. The stable life, system and teammates made Smith feel more comfortable, and his results and performance became stable. During his time with the Pistons, his turnover rate was only 1.2 times per game, but his shooting percentage and offensive efficiency Improved to 46% and 106 (career 42% & 100), becoming the Pistons' offensive engine in the second lineup.
After Dwane Casey came to the Pistons, he improved his tactics of cutting and passing the ball and guiding the ball from the wing, and accelerated the offensive and defensive rhythm. Therefore, Smith's speed and cutting were more reused. "We enjoy the fast pace, especially me and the bench lineup. We all like high speed." Battle and offensive-defensive transition." Smith said that the Pistons' Pace this season is 100.5, ranking 16th in the league, 8 places higher than last season (96.81).
Smith believes that his advantages are quite similar to Westbrook's. Although their outside abilities are not good, Westbrook has one more key weapon than him, which is mid-range, especially mid-to-long-range shooting accuracy. Smith practiced hard before coming to the Pistons and became successful. In the past three seasons, his shooting percentages from 10-16 feet and 16 feet to the three-point line were 49% and 43%, which is much higher than his career average (4 2 and 3 into 8), which also prevents opponents from giving Smith too much room to take action. But Casey encouraged him to cut more, so Smith's changeable speed changes, cutting movements and scoring methods also became the Pistons' offensive weapons.
However, Smith's weakness is also the Pistons' weakness. He lacks three-point line ability. He only shoots about 30% from the field. The Pistons' team three-point line shooting rate of about 32% is also ranked third from the bottom in the league. " We had many opportunities, but we couldn't make any shots, especially the three main ball handlers Smith, Jackson and Griffin. "Our tactics were very successful and we could always create gaps, but we couldn't seize the opportunities. Of course, my shots It’s also bad.”
The Pistons are currently ranked 8th in the Eastern Conference, but their winning rate is less than 50%, which is not much different from the following ones. Many of the main players in the team still need to get used to Casey, but for Smith, his rich experience allows him to follow suit. There is no problem in working with any system and coach. "I have been to many teams and played in various styles and tactics. It is my ability to adapt to new environments and survive in adversity." Smith is in the last year of his contract. In addition to finding ways to play In addition to the results, competing for the playoffs, which was unthinkable in the past, has become this season's goal. "I used to just survive and never dare to think about the playoffs, but now, it's time to dream bigger and further."
From being a wanderer to finding a stable place, although we are familiar with star players in the NBA, Smith's wandering career is a true portrayal of most basketball players.
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