With Gobert anchoring a long and athletic unit in Minnesota, there's plenty to like about this price on a perennial preseason favorite. When might a Donovan Mitchell trade get done? You could make a case that Williams was the true defensive anchor for the Celtics, though, and the stats back that up. Last season, that was Smart, the de facto defensive captain for the stingiest unit in the NBA. Copyright 2022 Deseret News Publishing Company. He ranked in Utah's top three in defensive win shares in five of the last six seasons - including first-place marks in 2016-17 (6.0) and 2020-21 (5.2) and a third-place mark last season (4.3). Smart received 37 first-place votes and 257 points total, beating out Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges (202 points) and three-time DPOY Rudy Gobert (136 points) of the Utah Jazz. "I'm trying to become one of the best ones to do it and with this award, it continues to help me and show me there is still more to go, and to continue the path that I'm on.". Smart was named the 2021-22 NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, becoming the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton took home the honor in 1996. David Sherman / National Basketball Association / Getty, 76ers planning for new privately funded downtown arena, AP source: Harden, 76ers agree on 2-year, $68 million deal, Wolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez says NBA has welcomed him, Report: 76ers re-sign Harden to 2-year, $68.6M deal, Healthy James Harden vows return to 'top of my game'. the guards ???????? Payton was in Boston on Monday to break the news to Smart and his Celtics teammates. If Thybulle's minutes continue to tick up, he could easily lead the NBA in steals per game, which would seriously bolster his case. Smart has also earned first-team All-Defensive honors twice in his career, for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. That remains a concern for Boston's springy big this year, but he should be considered the favorite if he can stay healthy, especially with the Celtics poised to extend - or even build upon - their defensive dominance. This award isn't typically friendly to long shots. / CBS Boston. He ranked second in the NBA in blocks per game (2.2), fourth in defensive box plus-minus (3.1), and fifth in defensive win shares (3.1) - all ahead of his backcourt teammate. Thanks for signing up. Yet Williams played just 61 games and was among many top contenders who fell by the wayside because of injuries. pic.twitter.com/ub4bhBxadY.
His individual defensive rating (104.5) wasn't nearly as impressive as in years past, partly because of how terrible Utah's perimeter defenders were around him. BOSTON (CBS) -- Celtics fans, and Boston opponents, are well aware of Marcus Smart's abilities on the defensive end of the floor.
The Celtics guard has finally received the ultimate recognition for his play on that side of the ball. 5 takeaways from watching the Utah Jazz play Summer League. Nets wary of selling low on Ben Simmons and don't want to use him as throw-in in a trade, Nets not sure why Kevin Durant asked for a trade, Celtics' Grant Williams on Warriors: 'They weren't the better team', Kendrick Perkins responds to LeBron James: I didn't experience racism in Boston, James Harden extends with Sixers for two years, $68.6 million, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. That joyous moment came after the Celtics held a film session of Sunday's 115-114 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series. Please enter valid email address to continue. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Notice and European users agree to the data transfer policy.
Garnett won the award for the 2008 season, his first in Boston. The ultimate, personalized mobile sports experience. (You can see that moment in the video above.). That's long been Thybulle's biggest issue, but the 76ers guard played 25.5 minutes per game last season and continued to post among the best stats in the entire league. "Not really. Here are the odds to win the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year at Barstool Sportsbook, along with a few of our favorite early values: DPOY tends to reward players who have the greatest impact on the league's best defense. The Timberwolves paid a bounty to pluck Gobert from the Jazz. C Jackson Cowart is a sports betting writer at theScore. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Celtics defense led the NBA with a 106.2 defensive rating, while Smart ranked fifth among all guards with a 105.2 defensive rating. You can follow him on Twitter (@CJacksonCowart) or email him at cjackson.cowart@thescore.com. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. It's been just over a month since the Warriors bested the Celtics in the NBA Finals, outlasting an elite defensive unit led by Marcus Smart, who became the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year in 26 years. Please check your email for a confirmation. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. By: HoopsHype. Start your day with the top stories you missed while you were sleeping. Pressure is not knowing what you're doing, and this is what I do," he said confidently. Is he worth it? Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series vs the Dallas Mavericks at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Thursday, April 21, 2022. First published on April 18, 2022 / 7:23 PM. Smart locked down Kyrie Irving on Brooklyn's final possession of the game, and then assisted on Jayson Tatum's game-winning layup at the buzzer. Gobert was named to the All-Defensive First Team along with Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart, Phoenix Suns guard Mikal Bridges, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo andMemphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. Smart, the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year, finished first in All-Defensive voting, with Bridges finishing second. I can't control that, Lakers coach Ham: Lakers' struggles last season weren't all Russell Westbrook's fault, unfair it's all heaped on Russ. April 18, 2022 / 7:23 PM "So I say thank you, keep it up.". It usually takes ridiculous statistical outputs to deserve consideration, and that tends to require starters' minutes - which are often in short supply for defensive specialists. Rudy Gobert named to NBA All-Defensive First Team. Gobert finished third in All-Defensive voting. Is Donovan Mitchell really what the New York Knicks need? Tyler Herro could headline a Donovan Mitchell trade. Gobert has made the All-Defensive First Team every season since 2016-17. He tied for third (1.7) with Smart - among others - last year. How could you not like this price on a three-time DPOY winner who has as much to prove as he has at any point in his decorated nine-year career? He also led the league in defensive rebounding rate (36.3%) last season and blocked at least two shots per game for the eighth consecutive year. The7-1, 256-pound Gobert grabbed 14.7 rebounds per game, best in the NBA. Smart was asked Monday night if he feels any added pressure now that he has a DPOY to his name. As we saw then, elite defensive guards aren't the stay-away bets they used to be. As for the 2021-22 season, Smart was sixth in the NBA with 1.7 steals per game and ranked fifth in defensive win shares with 10.3. Copyright 2022 Score Media Ventures Inc. Certain content reproduced under license. The former first-rounder led the league in steal rate (3.4%) and somehow finished 15th in block rate (3.8%), becoming one of just two players (alongside Robert Covington) to rank in the top 15 in both metrics.