Yes, Smart is better than Rondo.
Most of the starting point guards in the league are.
Smart isn't a starting pg. He's so highly thought of by his coach that they started Evan T last night.
That's because of his injury. Smart is the face of the franchise and was way better than Rondo at the same age. Smart is the face of the franchise, but people are taking it out on him because Rondo, a flawed player who probably would've bolted in free agency, was traded.
Last I checked this was celticsblog not rondoblog, but you wouldn't know it judging by some of the shortsighted posts. Some Rondo fans have left (Tim? Tim?), but those that remain sound like dumped x's.
People were taking a dump on Rondo pretty much from the beginning here and were still doing so after he won a ring, had multiple all star games, multiple trip dubs, multiple all defensive teams, multiple years leading the league in assists, and after signing a pretty team friendly deal. Nobody owes Smart better than what Rondo got. Nobody is hoping Smart will be bad. It's just that when you inherit Rondo's spot (because Smart sure as heck didn't earn it or take it away from him) then you inherit what comes with it until you surpass Rondo.
I expect all the Rondo critics to be on top of Smart for some of the same things (can't shoot) until that changes. Unless they're phonies.