Braden will likely never be known as a lockdown defender but as the primary defender on two of the most explosive players in the Big Ten, he did a hell of a job this week.
Braden Smith’s defense
- Thread starter boilerzz
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His defense against both was great, he has really stepped up that part of his game. He is best PG Purdue has ever had and I go back to 1973 watching.
Braden has done a phenomenal job the past two games. He is playing defense at a level he hasn’t before. If he can keep that up rest of the year, we will be fully tough to beat! And don’t even get me started on those 3s….just a F***ing GAMER.
I stand by what I said and agree that he’s the best PG we’ve had
I'll get you started.
.....quintessential "Dagger" from Agent Smith to cap off the scoring....those are the shots teams need at some point down the line - the difference quite often in advancing or going home.
Just ICE COLD! In the face of Illinois best player/defender. Braden has not done that much and I’m sure he will next yearZ loved to hear Paint told him to make a play. He called Zach over and watched TSJ to see if he looked at the pick and when he did, Braden popped it for a DAGGGGGGGER to win the conference outright by multiple games…first time that’s happened since 1975-76.I'll get you started.
.....quintessential "Dagger" from Agent Smith to cap off the scoring....those are the shots teams need at some point down the line - the difference quite often in advancing or going home.
Only problem with this gif is that it doesnt include Braden's "night night" sign to the ill bench/fans. Such an amazing sequence.I'll get you started.
.....quintessential "Dagger" from Agent Smith to cap off the scoring....those are the shots teams need at some point down the line - the difference quite often in advancing or going home.
He's getting a lot of Carsen Edwards type swagger in his game these days. I don't "love it" personally, being old school.
But i get that all teams need a certain amount of "edge" that way.
And it's 2024..........
damn, he's good for a soph...
But i get that all teams need a certain amount of "edge" that way.
And it's 2024..........
damn, he's good for a soph...
Yeah, this team as a whole seems to be playing with more of an edge this year. Edey staring down opponents. Lance jawing. Smith with the ice water/night night/wave. Gillis chuckling in people's faces. Fletch supposedly flipped off the Orange Crush after the game.
I prefer sportsmanship rather than gamesmanship but if that's what this team needs to go deeper in the tourney, I'll look the other way.
I also can't fathom the vitriol these guys get from opposing fans/players every time they suit up. I might be the same if I heard it as much as they do.
All aspects of his game has leveled up the 2nd half of this season. He has done everything in his power to pickup Loyer as he has struggled and play elite defense. His game moving to that next level would be why this team can make that deep run we have all be waiting for! Obviously others have to step up as well, but his consistency makes things much easier for the others. There shouldn't be the look we have all seen in Purdue teams when you have both Edey and now Smith to rely on. Everyone should be much more comfortable going into March this season because of his play.
I was wondering what TSJ was doing on this play. I know Braden signaled for the screen from Edey which maybe caused him to back off. Then again, he was sitting back to cover the middle part of the lane perhaps anticipating the dribble drive?I'll get you started.
.....quintessential "Dagger" from Agent Smith to cap off the scoring....those are the shots teams need at some point down the line - the difference quite often in advancing or going home.
Ant Wright has a couple of videos where he breaks down some changes Painter did in the second to create options for our shooters when Illinois doubled the post. Curious if this was a byproduct.
I tweeted this out but did you see Underwood on our side of the floor during that play? I even noticed it live.I'll get you started.
.....quintessential "Dagger" from Agent Smith to cap off the scoring....those are the shots teams need at some point down the line - the difference quite often in advancing or going home.
Braden said in his post-game that he looked at TSJ's eyes as Edey was coming to set the screen, which ended up being a decoy. He turned his eyes away from Braden, and he fired it.
We won the conference by 3 games last season.
Seems like everyone is now touting Smith to be 1st-team All B1G after last night. Kinda has to be obvious to me at this point.
Edey
Smith
Domask
Buie
Shannon? Walker?
Anyone else? Perkins? Wahl? The choices are certainly not endless but am I forgetting someone?
Gotcha. That makes sense when you look at how TSJ shifts his body which gave him just enough daylight.
I can agree with that and understand Zach and Mason a bit...Lance not quite as much. He isn't getting the same kind of pounding, grabbing and discarding as those two. Braden has offered many times to help opposing players up from the court and when Hoggard came off a Trey screen chasing Braden and somehow hurt his left arm in the process Braden asked if he was okay after he made the basket.
Braden is the ultimate competitor and one that has had many with doubt on just how far he could go in high school, college...Purdue...to where he is now. The kid has faced a LOT of obstacles and continues to win a good share of those consequently raising his confidence as he goes. When you put in the work, it is much harder to lose...
To me, Edey, Smith, Domask and Buie are obvious. The 5th is tough. How much do you ding Shannon for his off the court stuff and missing several games? If not him, I think you go either Walker or Jahmir Young. It was AJ Storr but he's fallen off big time.
Braden has range. That shot was a good 5 to 6 feet beyond the arc. I may have to try to find the video you reference, but at this point in time there is nothing the D effectively can do resulting from in a "surprise" that Purdue has not already seen. Purdue just needs to execute against a finite number of doubles, scrapes and digs
He might be as good as Gabe Cupps some day! TIC!
First time a team has won back to back B1G titles by multiple games in each of those 2 seasons since 1975
Doesn’t have his IQ or def doesn’t work as hard as Cupps! Cupps is a coach’s son! Going to be better than Braden!
Kinda wild the B1G doesn't have a clear 5 man all-B1G... Kinda tells us how down the conference is as a whole... O$U, Michigan, IU and Wisky are all down... Will be super interested in seeing if Howard hangs on and who will be the next O$U HC...
I also think Tominaga should be on the list of potential picks. He's had an impact on the B1G. Moved Nebraska from doormat to top 4 in the B1G.
I started a separate thread where I posted the videos Ant Wright did analysis on.
Short version - we ran some action behind Edey that slowed the initial double on Edey and Smith and Loyer moved into open spaces that caused the defense to get lost. Opened up a 3 for Smith from the right wing and Loyer from just off the top of the key when Edey made perfect passes.
I have no idea if the Big is down or not, nor how that would effectively be evaluated at this point in time. Any Big improvement of a team is somewhat limited to other Big teams prior to the conference play against other teams. If all the Big teams were to make significant improvement and each team plays each team and the relativity of each team doesn't change...what would accurately portray how good many Big teams were at the end of the season? We should know that the tourney is not an accurate measure. There will be Big teams left out that are better than some teams in.
yeah wonder if they just cross screened to give him a step? Something Kokomo should have done in a few games with Flory IMO if that is what happened. I'll try to see if I can find the video in a bit.
Been watching since 60. He's no Ronnie Johnson. No sauce.
Did Ronnie say he had sauce? Thought it was the kid who decommitted and went to FSU then OSU… thankfully we got Carsen instead.
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