Was Marcus Smart winning Defensive Player of the Year as a guard merely a one-off, or the beginning of a trend across the NBA which sees more players of his ilk get the nod?
If it were up to a player who won a championship with the Boston Celtics as a defensive whiz himself -- as a forward, no less -- players like Smart would win the award every season.
James Posey, who won a ring with the Celtics in 2008, wrote for Basketball News that Smart ending the 26-season drought between guards winning the award was a long time coming.
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"Having a good anchor is obviously an important part of any championship-level defense, but not even guys like Rudy Gobert or Dikembe Mutombo can patch every hole in bad defense," Posey wrote. "When you have a five-man unit on the floor, they are really only as strong as the weakest link, and if the backcourt can’t defend, the team is toast."
Smart, the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton for the Seattle SuperSonics in 1996, is exactly the kind of player Posey said he would want on his team. It was Smart's versatility, Posey said, which helped set him apart.
"He has skills on both sides of the ball, but defensively, he’s not willing to give even one inch to his opponent, and that’s exactly why he’s become such a favorite in Boston," Posey said.
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If Posey's vision comes to fruition, Smart could become just the second guard to win Defensive Player of the Year more than once, joining former Milwaukee Bucks guard Sidney Moncrief (1983, 1984).
"It’s not every day that you find a guard who not only accepts every challenge that comes his way, but also exceling at it. Smart can effectively guard all five positions, which is not something you see every day," Posey said.