Marcus Smart is lauded for being one of the most aggressive and physical defenders in the NBA.
And at practice, Jaylen Brown uses Smart to his advantage, using 1-on-1’s with the guard to help improve his own game. But every now and then, Smart needs a little ribbing to get him to turn it on in the duo’s post-practice work.
So, Brown resorts to trash talk.
“Ever since I’ve been here, since my rookie year, I’ve been trying to take advantage of playing Marcus 1-on-1 and baiting him into playing me,” Brown told NBC Sports Boston’s Chris Forsberg. “I’ve been talking trash so that he’ll be motivated to play me and I can work on my game.
“Marcus is probably one of the best defenders in the league. Motivated Marcus is tough to score against. But you have to talk a little bit of trash to get him going. He’ll laugh and joke but as soon as you start talking trash to him, he’ll be looking to bust your ass. He’ll be super engaged pretty quickly.”
Brown and Smart both have had plenty of time to get work in together, as the two played for the U.S. men’s national basketball team during the FIBA World Cup this summer. And while Smart’s role with the C’s will remain the same as it has been for the past few years, Brown will be looked upon to take a leap forward entering Year 4 in the NBA.
