Getty Marcus Smart,Boston Celtics
Marcus Smart is widely recognized as the best defensive guard in the NBA. And it finally seems like the Boston Celtics veteran is starting to get the recognition his no-nonsense style deserves.
Smart has been an integral part of the Celtics’ defense this season, helping them to become the top-ranked rearguard in the NBA. Yet, it’s only recently that the veteran’s name has begun to gain traction in Defensive Player of the Year conversations.
Traditionally, big men are the recipients of the NBA’s prestigious award, which is something Smart has taken issue with in recent seasons. However, the Texas native recently aired his frustration in the open and took aim at three-time DPOY Rudy Gobert in the process.
Top 10 defenses in Adjusted Def Rating and DPOY candidates: \
1. Boston (Smart, Williams)
2. Warriors (Draymond)
3. Phoenix (Bridges)
4. Cavs (Mobley/Allen)
5. Heat (Bam)
6. Mavs (DFS?)
7. Grizzlies (Trip)
8. Clippers (???)
9. Raptors (Scottie?Spicy?)
10. Sixers (Embiid/Thybulle)
“Let’s think about it. As a guard, especially on the team that switches a lot, especially on the No. 1 defensive team, you are worried about every single player. And here’s the thing: When you see Defensive Player of the Year, that means he can guard all five spots. Nothing against Rudy, but Rudy can’t guard all five spots. I can guard all five spots and I have been doing it. I’ve done it very well,” Smart told ESPN’S Tim Bontemps in a recent interview.
When you watch Smart play, you never feel concerned if he’s switched onto a big-man on the low block, nor if he’s trying to contain an athletic forward on the wing. Perhaps that’s why the 28-year-old feels that now is the time to begin recognizing defensive guards more consistently, especially as Smart views them as a team’s front line of defense.
Joel Embiid Offers a Counterpoint
While defensive guards will always fight their case for wider recognition, there must be something to the notion that big men are more vital to a team’s defensive structure – otherwise, why do they dominate the defensive awards process? Perhaps box score statistics such as blocks, and defensive field goal percentage play a part, but it would seem there’s more to the story.
According to Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, big men operate as quarterbacks to an NBA defense, ensuring the coverages are correct, players are in the right positions, and the paint is locked down to the best of their ability.
Joel Embiid on why the DPOY should always go to a big:
“Centers call out all the coverages. They know what is going on. They call out the plays and stuff. That is the way it has always been. That’s why most of the Defensive Players of the Year in the past have always been big,” Embiid told Tim Bontemps.
While Embiid has a point, it’s unfair to assume that some of the better defensive guards aren’t taking on a similar role. Smart is consistently seen marshaling the Celtics’ defense and is known to be a vocal leader on that end of the floor. There’s also the factor of basketball IQ, shouting out plays and coverages doesn’t mean that you’re making the correct decision, so taking a team’s defensive rating into account should be a legitimate benchmark in voters decision-making process.
Smart Considered Front Runner for DPOY Award
After spending most of the season outside of the Defensive Player of the Year top-10, Smart has pole-vaulted himself to the top of the current rankings and is currently the odds-on favorite to receive the award at the end of the regular season.
Marcus Smart favorite to win DPOY on @PointsBetUSA at +150. Smart was +200 Sunday morning (Bam Adebayo was +225, now +250)
Voting processes such as this are always fluid and subject to change, but for a guard that has been at the forefront of multiple top-10 defenses since entering the league, even being considered a front-runner should be vindication for his playstyle.
Even Utah Jazz coach Quinn Snyder believes that Smart’s defensive value is unique and irreplaceable, “You look at Smart’s strength, his size, his quickness. He’s not a shot-blocker, but in some kind of ironic way, he’s able to do things off the ball that are equivalent because he’s a deterrent.
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