Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart won NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season on Monday.
The team held a brief pregame ceremony for Smart’s accomplishment before Game 2 against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
Hall of Famer Gary Payton was on hand, the last guard to win the award. Smart will need to be on his best defensive game as he juggles a pair of Nets superstars, forward Kevin Durant and guard Kyrie Irving.
Fortunately for Smart, the entire TD Garden will attempt to get inside Irving’s head.
