Dennis Smith Jr Not Intimidated by Curry and the Warriors

Former NC State point guard Dennis Smith Jr faced off against childhood hero Steph Curry last night, in the Mavs 122-125 loss to the Warriors.

Smith struggled from the field (6-18 FG), but finished with 14 points and 8 assists. With that being said, Dennis did what Dennis always does. He put on a show.

What we have here is Dennis Smith Jr breezing by Curry, and Kevin Durant wisely moving out of the way.

Dennis Smith Jr. rocks the rim!#MFFL #NBARooks pic.twitter.com/gJHt6aKNyu

— NBA (@NBA) January 4, 2018

On this play, Smith Jr did his own Curry impression on the man himself.

Next Mavs possession Dennis Smith Jr. gives Steph a little cooking of his own pic.twitter.com/4IF8r3XR1r

— Isaac Harris (@IsaacHarrisNBA) January 4, 2018

DSJ will jump from any distance and dunk it. Defenders being present doesn’t matter. This man doesn’t believe in finger rolls.

Every time I think there’s no way Dennis Smith Jr. is gonna finish a dunk in traffic he just keeps going up and then pic.twitter.com/FEkXsEJr40

— Terrance Fergwobson (@World_Wide_Wob) January 4, 2018

Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t surprised one bit.

Rick Carlisle on Dennis Smith Jr.: “He’s not a guy that’s going to cower in the limelights. He’s built for this.”

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) January 4, 2018

When asked after the game how manages to put his childlike awe aside and compete when playing against a guy like Steph Curry, who he idolized as a kid?

“Because I ain’t no kid no more”(ESPN)