Ish Smith throwback style has been consistent early bright spot for Pelicans

It’s 2015, yet he still politely says “yes sir” and “no sir” during interviews, as though he’s from some previous generation. Nearly every time he walks onto a basketball court, he points with both arms skyward, thanking God for the opportunity to play the game he loves.

New Orleans point guard Ish Smith is only 27 years old, but in many ways, he’s a throwback player to a different era. That’s perhaps most evident when Smith checks into a game off the Pelicans’ bench and the 6-foot, 175-pounder has the ball in his hands. In a league where shoot-first point guards have become in vogue, Smith consistently first scans the floor to see what scoring opportunities might be available to his four…