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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
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HoopsHype

NBA awards poll: Marcus Smart to win Defensive Player of the Year?

This award was separated by the thinnest of margins, with Marcus Smart edging Mikal Bridges by three total points, according to the ballots collected by HoopsHype. If Smart wins the award, he’d be the first guard to win this category since Gary Payton in 1996.
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Sirius XM NBA @SiriusXMNBA
Is Marcus Smart Defensive Player of the Year?
Marcus Smart tells Brian Scalabrine what it would mean to win the award.
#BleedGreen | #DPOY pic.twitter.com/lEPOXvqRJm7:37 PM
Mark Murphy @Murf56
Marcus Smart on former teammate Kyrie Irving: “He’s truly a magician with the ball. He has a lot of what you call last minute moves. You think you’ve guarded him, and he always finds a way to get out of whatever type of situation he’s in.” – 5:52 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart was asked if Ime Udoka has changed at all with the playoffs starting: “He’s still that hard-nosed guy, get-up-in-you guy, take-nothing-from-anybody guy. That’s the coach we’ve had all year. And that’s the coach we continue to have.” – 1:16 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart said nothing has changed with Ime Udoka as he prepares for his first playoffs as a head coach: “He’s still that hard-nosed, get-up-in-you, not-take-anything-from-anybody guy. That’s the coach we’ve had all year. And that’s the coach we’re going to continue to have.” – 1:13 PM
Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Marcus Smart on being excited for the playoffs: “Man… moments like this is what you live for. If you can’t get up for these moments, you’re in the wrong profession.” – 1:09 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart says Playoff Ime has been the same person he’s been this whole year, his whole career: “That hard nose, get up in you, not take anything from anybody guy. That’s the coach we’ve had all year and that’s the coach we’re going to continue to have.” – 12:57 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart on Al Horford: “Al been doing it like 15 years now and the experience that he brings to this team is huge for us. Al’s the cool, calm and collected guy that keeps us cool, calm when things are going on. Al doesn’t say much, but what he says is important.” – 12:53 PM
Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Marcus Smart said he understands why his friend Bruce Brown said the Nets want to go at Horford and Theis, because that’s the same mentality the Celtics have with Brooklyn’s defense.
“Like KD said, it ain’t going to be that easy.” – 12:52 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart said he’s a good friend of Bruce Brown. Smart understands why Brown made the comments, but doesn’t seem to agree with them.
“Like KD said, it ain’t going to be that easy.” – 12:51 PM
Brian Robb @BrianTRobb
Marcus Smart on Bruce Brown’s comments about Celtics defense: “Like KD said, it ain’t going to be that easy.” – 12:51 PM
Jay King @ByJayKing
Marcus Smart on the biggest challenge of facing the Nets: “The way that they can score. They can score on any level. … we understand how great those guys are.”
Said the Celtics are up for the challenge. – 12:49 PM

More on this storyline

Cade Cunningham: I think I should be Rookie of the Year because of all the things I’ve been able to do for my team this year. I feel like I helped my team in a lot of different ways that may not have always turned out to be wins. If you watch my game, and watch the way that I play, you could appreciate all the things that I do on the floor. What makes me the Rookie of the Year is me being able to do so many things at such a high level. -via Andscape / April 13, 2022

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