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Boston Celtics defensive stalwart Marcus Smart arguably had the best campaign of his career last season. He led the franchise to the NBA Finals despite suffering numerous injuries throughout the course of the season.
In an interview with CLNS Media, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year spoke about the progress he's made from the ankle injury he picked up during the season. The guard spoke about giving it as much rest as possible ahead of training camp, which is set to begin later this month.
"My ankle is feeling better, it’s still healing, so I’m dealing with that. Just giving it as much rest as I can, but definitely back on the court. I’m definitely back into the action. It feels like yesterday we just started playing, we haven’t really missed a beat, but I’m definitely doing everything I can to be ready for next season and to go deeper," Smart said.
Marcus Smart also spoke about how he is slowly ramping up his off-season training camp ahead of the upcoming NBA campaign, which isn't too far away.
"I’m pretty close (to 100%), obviously it’s September, you don’t want to be in June, July, May shape right now so I’m trying not to go too crazy, but I’m really close and I’ve been doing this going into my ninth season. So for me, I know exactly what I need and what I need to get myself ready so I’ll so be there," Smart concluded.
Smart injured his ankle in Game 3 of the NBA Finals and it sounded severe with his post-game comments. Smart spoke about how he was delighted to walk off the court as he subsequently ended up missing Game 4 against the Golden State Warriors.
How important is Marcus Smart to the Boston Celtics?
The Boston Celtics endured a tough start to last season amidst rumors of unrest between players and head coach Ime Udoka. However, the likes of Marcus Smart, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the roster to an incredible turnaround that saw them reach the NBA Finals.
Thanks to his incredible performances, Marcus Smart beat the likes of Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz and Mikal Bridges of the Phoenix Suns for the coveted DPOY award. In the process, he became the first guard to win the honor since Gary Payton in the 90s.
Marcus Smart leads the Boston Celtics' suffocating defense. He can seamlessly guard multiple positions and bigger players than him, wreaking havoc with his aggressive style of play and quick hands. Smart's footwork is also underrated, but he can get to the perimeter and also be an absolute nuisance on the interior, making him a key player for the Boston Celtics.
Offensively, he's important to the Boston Celtics' ball movement. Marcus Smart averaged 12.1 points and nearly six assists per game during the regular season. He shot 42% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc.
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