Before the last Finals, Steve Kerr paid tribute to Marcus Smart. The Warriors coach explained that the Boston player was a “great defender” and an “rear version of Draymond Green”.
A comparison that makes sense since the two men are above all known for their defensive qualities, for their fighting attitude and their leadership. They were also voted defender of the year: Draymond Green in 2017 and Marcus Smart in 2022.
“Players like Draymond and I are the ones who are going to do the dirty work. So other players don’t have to.”explains the 2022 finalist for Yahoo! Sports. “It shows our character, we are ready to sacrifice our bodies, whether mental or physical, for our teammates and the team to succeed. You don’t have to score 50 points to change a game and be effective. ”
The Celtics point guard therefore accepts this analogy and he even finds it laudatory, as Draymond Green has established himself as a key player in one of the most dominant teams in NBA history.
Mikal Bridges as heir?
“I take it as a compliment. Draymond Green is unanimously respected and deservedly so. His record and his game speak for him. He is a champion among champions, a leader of the Warriors. Vocally, emotionally, physically, he is the one who moves forward, the one to follow when you have to change the energy of a match. It’s rare. Players like him are few and we are like that, him and me. “
Can Marcus Smart name another player in the same vein as him and Green?
“Mikal Bridges”, he answers. “He was in the running for Defender of the Year and if I hadn’t had him, I would have clearly voted for him. Offensively, we know what he is capable of, but what he does on defense for the Suns is enormous. He doesn’t say much, he does his job in silence. He may not be as vocal as Green and me, but he has the same qualities to do the dirty work and help the team win. “
| Marcus Smart | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2014-15 | BOS | 67 | 27 | 36.7 | 33.5 | 64.6 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 7.8 |
| 2015-16 | BOS | 61 | 27 | 34.8 | 25.3 | 77.7 | 1.3 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 9.2 |
| 2016-17 | BOS | 79 | 30 | 35.9 | 28.3 | 81.2 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 4.6 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 10.6 |
| 2017-18 | BOS | 54 | 30 | 36.7 | 30.1 | 72.9 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 10.2 |
| 2018-19 | BOS | 80 | 28 | 42.2 | 36.4 | 80.6 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 8.9 |
| 2019-20 | BOS | 60 | 32 | 37.5 | 34.7 | 83.6 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 0.5 | 12.9 |
| 2020-21 | BOS | 48 | 33 | 39.8 | 33.0 | 79.0 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 13.1 |
| 2021-22 | BOS | 71 | 32 | 41.8 | 33.1 | 79.3 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 5.9 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 12.1 |
| Total | 520 | 30 | 38.2 | 32.1 | 78.0 | 0.8 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 10.5 | |
