The NBA named Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, snapping a bizarre drought for backcourt players.
Before Smart, no guard had taken home the honor since Gary Payton in 1995-96.
Smart received the news from Payton, who showed up to Boston’s practice to pass the proverbial torch.
A special moment today celebrating the heart and soul of our team, @smart_MS3 ☘️ pic.twitter.com/OPcgYbMmxt
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 18, 2022
He wasn’t the only perimeter player considered. Mikal Bridges was one of three finalists alongside Smart and reigning Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert.
The Phoenix Suns wing congratulated Smart on Twitter, calling the honor “well deserved” and saying it was “a blessing to even be apart of the convo.”
Congrats to Marcus Smart fr ! Happy they start realizing it aint easy guarding mfs on the island every night ! Very much deserved … I appreciate everybody that was rockin wit me lol we’ll be ok😭 its a blessing to even be apart of the convo
— Mikal Bridges (@mikal_bridges) April 18, 2022
As Mike Lynch noted via Stathead, the 6-foot-3 Smart matches two-time winner Sydney Moncrief as the shortest player to take home the award.
Per @Stathead Marcus Smart (6’3”) has tied Sidney Moncrief as the shortest DPOY of all timehttps://t.co/pmElJAmFuK https://t.co/tL9KYepGz8 pic.twitter.com/7P3nlFFoky
— Mike Lynch (@SportInfo247) April 18, 2022
Although Moncrief won twice when the NBA introduced the award in 1982-83, big men have since dominated. Bridges wasn’t the only one happy to see a backcourt defender receive some overdue recognition.
Guards to win DPOY:
Sidney Moncrief 1983/84 (HOF)
Alvin Robertson 1986 (HOF)
Michael Cooper 1987
Michael Jordan 1988 (HOF)
Gary Payton 1996 (HOF)
MARCUS SMART 2022Pretty, pretty good. https://t.co/pihOhTDqeT
— Tucker Boynton (@Tucker_TnL) April 18, 2022
The drought for NBA guards is finally over: Marcus Smart is the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.
1st guard to earn it since Gary Payton in 1996.
2nd Celtic to win it (Kevin Garnett in 2008).
Congrats to the heart and soul of the best defensive team in the league ☘️ 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Uuzb0Su1Qr
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) April 18, 2022
Well deserved. An award that has been dominated by big men, he’s the first guard since The Glove to win it 26 years ago! #nba https://t.co/bOg7ocqgrj
— Alan Hahn (@alanhahn) April 18, 2022
Smart averaged 1.7 steals per game with 3.7 defensive win shares and a 1.7 defensive box plus-minus, according to Basketball Reference. Boston finished the regular season with an NBA-low 104.5 points allowed per game.
Congratulations to Smart, who will look to earn more hardware this postseason. After taking an epic Game 1 from the Brooklyn Nets, the Celtics will try to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the opening-round series on Wednesday.
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