Award ballots were long since submitted and tallied but there was one sequence in the Boston Celticsâ series-opening win over the Brooklyn Nets Sunday that really hammered home why Marcus Smart deserved the Defensive Player of the Year honor he received 24 hours later.
Overshadowed by the calamity of the second half, Smartâs solid defense late in the second quarter deserved a bigger spotlight. The Celtics were clinging to a two-point lead when Kevin Durant exploded past Jayson Tatum. Smart, who was assigned to Goran Dragic in the far corner, spotted Durantâs drive and raced towards the charge circle. Timing his leap perfectly, Smart went straight up to contest and flustered Durant, who must have thought he had an easy layup.
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Whatâs more, the Celtics collected the rebound, immediately pushed it to Jaylen Brown in transition, and got a layup out of the sequence. Thatâs a four-point swing because of Smartâs instincts and hustle. And also his ability to defend vertically against a player at least eight inches taller.
Thatâs just one instance of a play that doesnât land in the box score but seemingly happens at least one per night with Smart on the floor. Sure, bigs have those same sorts of moments and donât pad their block totals. But name another point guard who is contesting Durant without putting him on the foul line in that moment?
Those who quibble with Smartâs selection as Defensive Player of the Year, snapping a 26-year drought since Gary Payton was the last guard to win the award in 1996, ought to listen to the way Smartâs teammates gush about his presence. Robert Williams and Al Horford, two other top-10 placers in DPOY voting, have been quick to suggest Smart is the quarterback and conscience of the NBAâs top-ranked defense.
So much of Smartâs impact canât be quantified by stats. Thereâs no readily available metric for each time he switches onto a 4 and doesnât allow a shot attempt. Thereâs no metric for when Smart boxes out a lumbering 5 and keeps that player off the glass so a teammate can haul in a rebound.
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Thereâs no metric that can truly show the importance of Smart hounding Kyrie Irving in the final minute of a one-point game to ensure his hot-shooting former teammate doesnât get a shot with a chance to seal a Game 1 victory.
"The way the game is changing, the guards have been more recognized for their ability to do certain things we shouldnât be able to do at our size,â said Smart. âThis award, and me winning it, opens the path for guards in the future.â
Yes, Smart is living up to his moniker as the YounGameChanger. Even without the benefit of numbers, voters are more willing to allow the eye test to confirm the impact the gameâs best perimeter defenders are having. All in a league where 3-point attempts have exploded and guards who can crack that first line of defense are super valuable.
Detractors will suggest there are individual defenders having more impactful seasons than Smart. For his part, Smart is quick to point out how much credit big men deserve for acting as the last line of defense, particularly on teams without strong perimeter players.
But Smart is also reveling in finally swaying voters to recognize that impact. And those that continue to question his impact, theyâll keep Smart pushing to new heights.
"I've always said that without those naysayers, doubters or what we like to call haters, I wouldn't be able to go out there and do what I do,â said Smart. "It inspires me to continue to strive to be the greatest I can be at what I do. What I have to say to them is thank you, keep it up.â
Note: Games 2-6 of the Brooklyn Nets-Boston Celtics series will be aired on NBC Sports Boston and can also be streamed on NBCSportsBoston.com or with the MyTeams App, which you can download below.