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On Fox Sports' morning show "Skip and Shannon: Undisputed," Skip Bayless applauded Marcus Smart for winning the Defensive Player of the Year award, stating:
"Congratulations to Marcus Smart, first defensive player of the year as a guard since Gary Payton back in the mid-90s. And he's got a nasty streak to him, a physical streak to him and I love the way he plays."
He also spoke about how Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will now be even more motivated to put on a show. Bayless said:
"I love KD more. I love Kyrie more. I think the mere fact that Marcus Smart won this award will fuel the fire of both KD and Kyrie as in - okay, game on!"
Boston Celtics defensive stalwart Smart has received immense praise for his defensive ability. As mentioned above, he was recognized with the Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Boston Celtics won Game 1 at TD Garden thanks to a buzzer-beater from Jayson Tatum. Irving dropped 39 points on 60% shooting from the field, but Kevin Durant had more shots attempted than points scored.
How good is Marcus Smart for the Boston Celtics?
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 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.
Smart's footwork is also underrated as this allows him to get to the perimeter while also being an absolute nuisance on the interior.
Offensively, he is important to Boston's ball movement. Smart 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.
With championship aspirations, the Boston Celtics will continue to rely on Smart to lead the team as he is the lynchpin of the Celtics' roster.
Guess the Lakers players!
