Does Smart have a chance at DPOY?

[gouki88]

I think he should, but AD, Giannis, Kawhi & Gobert seem to have an annoying grip on the award.

However, Smart got more recognition last year (defensive team) so maybe there’s a chance

Maybe he has missed too many games already with that eye injury...

His metrics don't really pop though, D win shares, Steal %, per 36 stats.. all pretty middling.

Which of course we all know is stupid because "stats do not matter" (I say that non-sarcastically)

Yeah, good call. His durability is a problem for major awards.

[ozgod]

I think Smart has a lot of Alvin Robertson in him and Robertson was able to win a DPOY. So, sure, why not?!?!?!

He reminds me of these two as well as AR.

Marcus Smart indeed gets my vote for DPOY.

I think he would get all our votes - unfortunately those who vote (as well as the majority of fans) tend to discount anyone not starting for anything but the Sixth Man award. Unfair but I think that's the way they look at it, even if Marcus plays 36 mins a game - if he's not starting they won't consider him. I think the only reason they considered him for the All-Defense first team last year was because he was starting. Fans and media tend to think of the best players as being starters, even if someone like Marcus is clearly a better player than some starters on other teams but is on the bench because of our depth or for strategic reasons.

Maybe down the road when basketball becomes more like football and people finally start to understand that being a starter just means that you start the game, and that there's specific matchups and units you put on the floor at specific times, and it's not necessarily if you start but how many minutes you play, and that the most important time to be playing is not the first five minutes but the last five minutes, then Marcus can win DPOY from the bench.

[Celtics4ever]

I think his defense has went down a notch this year, so no.

[CelticsPoetry]

I think his defense has went down a notch this year, so no.

Shooting all those threes can be pretty tiring

[Redz]

I think his defense has went down a notch this year, so no.

Oddly, I think the offensive advances he's made might help him win the defensive player of the year.  He might be seen as the best all around  defensive minded player, instead the best pure defensive plaayer.

[Who]

Agreed that Smart does not deserve consideration for DPoY this season. The thing I was wondering about was -- has Smart's best chance at winning the award come and gone?

His best chances will be when he is at his quickest / most athletic. When he is young. As a perimeter guy, it is hard to gain mass attention without making lots of disruptive plays in team defense as a help defender. Playing the passing lanes, getting deflections, running down loose balls.

So do perimeter guys peak earlier? In terms of DPoY? Do you need to be a young to early prime player? Are you even a candidate for DPoY by your late 20s?

Alvin Robertson was 23.
Michael Jordan was 24.
Ron Artest was 24.
Sidney Moncrief was 25 & 26 (4th & 5th year in NBA).
Kawhi was 23 & 24.

Payton got in at 27. Mid prime. 6th season.

Michael Cooper was 30. He is the only older guy on the list. Late prime. 9th season in the NBA.

[Atzar]

I don’t think he’s the best defensive player on his own team anymore.  He’s still the tone-setter, but IMO Tatum has surpassed him.

[Moranis]

Looked like he had much better odds early in the year, now this year, no way.

[CelticsPoetry]

I agree with all of you that are arguing he has slipped a bit in his defense to an extent. I also believe it could be that he is pacing himself, trying to stay healthy for the playoffs. I fully believe he will bring it when we need it most

[Fafnir]

No the NBA is too analytics heavy in the voting body, big men just rate out higher on defensive impact via those measures.

It would require being the a top defense in the league when the other top defenses don't have a clear "star" big man to take the award.

This year Gobert/Davis/Giannis will all rate out higher than Smart in the voting even if he regains his early season form.

[PhoSita]

The only way he could win it would be if the Celts were the clear cut number one defense in the league and they earned a top two seed.

They're not on track to that so I don't think so.


It'll probably be giannis because the bucks are clearly the top defense.

[Fafnir]

It'll probably be giannis because the bucks are clearly the top defense.

Naw they'll give it to Gobert against since Giannis is going to win MVP again. The media loves to split the baby.

[nickagneta]

This year, mind you just this year, is Smart even the best defensive player on this team? I think an argument could be made he isn't and if he isn't, there is no way he deserves  even being in the discussion.

[LilRip]

I would love it if he could but I don’t see it happening realistically. Bigs have a much better chance at winning. Maybe if Smart starts guarding bigs more and more in the 2nd half of the season?

[tonydelk]

It depends largely on where the Celtics rank defensively at the end of the year, the award typically goes to a player on a top ranked defense. Here are the team defense ranking of the guy who has won it the last twelve years.

Garnett (1)
Howard (1)
Howard (3)
Howard (3)
Chandler (5)
Gasol (2)
Noah (2)
Leonard (2)
Leonard (1)
Draymond (2)
Gobert (1)
Gobert (2)

Nobody outside of the top 5 won it, and only one person outside of the top three and I think even if the C's defense is better than most thought it would be a top 3 defense is a tough ask. Also notice nobody shorter than Kawhi Leonard has won it in that time, largely because big man defense gets a lot more attention but also because it is far more valuable than even the super versatile defense Smart provides. In other words it's not likely.

BUT, if the Celtics defense is top 5 then the narrative that the C's defense is soooo much better than everybody thought it would be could drive votes for our best defensive player Marcus Smart.

While this is all true Marcus is an outlier.  The NBA is so wing heavy that it's important to have a Wing/Guard who can shut down these amazing wing players the NBA has.  Marcus is an outlier because he can guard 1-5 efficiently and there isn't another player in the NBA that can do this.  He's definitely deserving because he's so unique.  He can shut down anyone on the planet at times.  I'll take Marcus all day on my team.  Add in his scoring and passing and there is no one like him.  I love Marcus.