Is there a decline in defense in today’s NBA or is there an offensive renaissance going on instead? Veteran Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart recently weighed in on the state of defense in the NBA in an interview with USA TODAY’s Sports Seriously’s Mackenzie Salmon.
Asking the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year how he feels about a purported decline in defense, Smart replied “We are 450 of the best guys (at basketball) in the world doing this at a high level every night when you have guys coming across the line shooting the ball 40 or 50 feet outside of the 3-point line from everywhere on the floor, you’re like ‘What’s going on?!?”
Buy Celtics Tickets“It’s hard,” emphasized Smart. “Some of the shots you see guys take, you’re like ‘Well, why would I even contest that?’ ”
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“That’s not an ideal shot but guys are able to hit these shots and I think with the athleticism and special abilities that guys have, you’re going to see a decline,” he added, “especially playing 82 games a season.”
“It’s tough to do that at a high level for 82 games.
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