Braden Smith’s first NBA start came with a crash course in the league’s toughest assignments, and he handled it like he belonged there.
The rookie point guard got the call Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks, then spent much of the evening dealing with elite perimeter pressure from Dyson Daniels and Lu Dort. The opening possession was rough - Daniels picked his pocket and missed the fast-break layup - but Smith quickly settled in and turned in the kind of performance that changes first impressions fast.
He finished with 19 points on 8-for-13 shooting, along with 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. His 10 assists led to 25 points, and he also piled up 22 potential assists, a strong sign of how often he was creating good looks for teammates. With the Pacers missing 11 players, Smith was forced into 42 minutes and had to carry the load on both ends.
Rick Carlisle didn’t hold back afterward.
“Braden Smith was tremendous,” Carlisle said. “(He) showed the kind of competitor that he is and has demonstrated over the last several years at Purdue.”
Carlisle also pointed to the work Smith has put in to keep his body in top shape, including a conditioning drill before training camp where Smith outlasted everyone on the roster by a wide margin.
“This guy played 42 minutes in an NBA game and he was prepared for this opportunity because of all the work he put in this summer,” Carlisle said. “It just goes to show you that putting in that type of work will bear fruit. It was inspiring to watch him battle tonight.”
The coach said Smith’s defense stood out, too, even in a 4-point loss.
“I thought defensively he did a great job,” Carlisle said. “19 and 10, that’s a double-double in the NBA. That’s big time.”
For Smith, the night was exactly the kind of challenge he wanted. He said facing some of the league’s best defenders felt like “being a kid in a candy store.”
“They’re obviously unbelievable defenders, and for me to go through that was a challenge,” Smith said. “They’re tough and great players and for me it was just fun to be out there.”
Smith also opened up about the adjustment from being the focal point at Purdue to learning a different role in the NBA. He called it a humbling experience, but one he needed.
"You gotta learn that you don't go to a job and you're perfect right away. you get the top job right away, and a lot of people will think that and that's just not how the world works," Smith said. "You're supposed to learn and I think that was the best thing for me.
I thought in college I was at the top for a very long time, doing it at a very high level, and honestly I needed that. I needed get back down here and work my way back up."
He also drew a clear line between Summer League and a real NBA game.
"It's different games. It's hack-a-Shaq over here in Summer League, and there's actual basketball over here," Smith said.
"Completely different games and different styles of basketball. For me, it was just nice to be out there and do that.
The Pacers may not get many more nights like this from Smith right away, but the outing gave a glimpse of why the organization believes in him. He showed he can run the offense, handle pressure and compete at the level required to stick.
With a full season ahead in Noblesville, the path the front office and coaching staff see is easy to understand: a hard-playing guard with humility, confidence and the kind of competitive edge that can make him a future McConnell replacement.
And for the local kid from Westfield, Indiana, the basketball story keeps getting better.
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Hawks Already Have A Nickeil Alexander-Walker Problem They Need
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