“He’ll talk some trash to you, the way he’ll drop people, he’s the defined leader of this squad” - Jay Williams praises 1-time DPOY, says ‘certain cats’ have a different presence on the floor

NBA and Boston Celtics defensive stalwart Marcus Smart has come under immense praise from Jay Williams as the latter highlights the importance of Smart to the Celtics' success.

On ESPN's morning radio show Keyshawn, JWill and Max, former Chicago Bulls player Jay Williams waxed lyrical about Smart's significance to the Boston Celtics. The 17-time champions lost Game 1 without Smart and won Game 2 with Smart on the floor against the Miami Heat. Jay Williams said:

"There's a different presence on the floor when you see certain cats, right. When he's in the floor, it feels different. Everything about the game feels different. The way he controls the pace of it, the way he'll talk some trash to you, the way he'll drop people, he's the defined leader of this squad."

Marcus Smart won the Defensive Player of the Year award this year for his exploits on the defensive end of the floor as the guard led the best defense in the league this season.

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Is Jay Williams right about Smart's importance to the Celtics?

Boston Celtics' Smart in action against Brooklyn.

Marcus Smart beat out the likes of Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz and Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns for the coveted defensive award. The sheer fact that he is the first guard to win this trophy since Gary Payton in the 90s is a testament to his greatness.

The Celtics and their suffocating defense is led by Smart. He can seamlessly guard multiple positions and even players bigger than him. He wreaks havoc with his aggressive style of play and quick hands.

That is what the Celtics missed in Game 1 as Smart would have been the primary defender on Jimmy Butler, who ended up dropping over 40 points on the night.

Smart's footwork is also underrated, but he can get to the perimeter and also be an absolute nuisance on the interior. That makes him a key player for the Celtics along with Al Horford, who also missed Game 1. The presence of the duo on the defensive end of the floor could have made the difference for Boston.

Offensively, Smart had an incredible Game 2 as he dropped 24 points, along with nine rebounds and 12 assists, while shooting nearly 42% from the perimeter. It was an indication of Smart's importance to Boston's ball movement.

Smart has averaged 12.1 points and nearly six assists per game this season, while shooting 42% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc. These are not eye-catching numbers by any stretch, but they demonstrate his effectiveness on the offensive end.

Harboring championship aspirations, Jay Williams is spot on to about Marcus Smart's importance to the Celtics. They will need him at his best if they are to make the NBA Finals this season.