For much of Marcus Smart‘s NBA career, the defense of Boston Celtics veteran point guard was feared by many but not respected by the media who vote for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award. Some of it was likely the fact that before the Flower Mound native took home the award for the 2022 season no guard had won it since Gary Payton — the elder — in the mid-1990s.
But as the understanding of the game today has caught up with the hyper-flexible and aggressive style of defense Smart has made a name for himself with, the Boston guard has shown the value of his elite defensive skills.
To talk about winning the DPOY last season, Smart made an appearance on the “Rich Eisen Show” recently.
Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear his thoughts on the honor, his inclusion in offseason trade rumors and more.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
