Throughout his career, defense has been the calling card for Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart.
And Monday night, Smart, who was twice selected to the NBA’s All-Defensive Team, earned the league’s highest honor for his play on that end of the court when he was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
For Smart, he felt like it was a long time coming to receive this award.
“This award means a lot, it shows there is more than one way to impact the game and it doesn’t necessarily have to be scoring,” Smart told reporters, per Celtics team reporter Amanda Pflugrad. “It shows that the hard work I’ve been putting in has finally paid off and the recognition has finally come.”
Smart became the first guard since Gary Payton in 1995-96 to earn this honor. Payton was on hand at Boston’s practice facility earlier in the day to give Smart the award.
“It’s understandable why it was a big man award,” Smart said, via The Athletic’s Jay King. “… We give our credit to the big man. … But us guards, we’re working. We’re the front line. And that’s how we feel.”
Smart was the cornerstone piece to a stout Celtics’ defense this season, which led the NBA with a 106.2 defensive rating. Smart was a thorn in the side of opposing attacks as he finished sixth in the league in steals with 1.7 per game and placed fifth in defensive win shares at 10.3.
Smart’s terrific defensive effort also included sacrificing his body as he topped the league with 1.1 loose balls recovered per game.
Smart called his defensive IQ “extraordinary,” according to King, and he believes that helps him take his defense to another level.
“I’m able to see things most people aren’t able to see on that end,” Smart said, per MassLive’s Souichi Terada. “My instincts go into that as well. For me to be able to communicate to guys, it makes their jobs easier.”
The newly decorated Defensive Player of the Year and the Celtics will resume their first-round playoff series with the Brooklyn Nets at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday at TD Garden.
