Marcus Smart wins the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: AFP - Scanpix Credit AFP - Scanpix

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart claimed the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming the first guard to win the accolade since Gary Payton in the 1995-1996 season.

Marcus Smart

MIN:32.39PTS:12.24 (49.29%)REB:3.83As:5.86ST:1.72BL:0.26TO:2.26GM:72ProfileNBA2021/2022

A panel of 100 voters, consisting of journalists, sportswriters, and broadcasters, gave Smart a total of 257 points (37 first-place votes). Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges came in second with 202 points (22 first-place votes), while Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was third with 136 points (12 first-place votes).

The Celtics led the league in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5), while Smart finished the year ranked seventh in the league in steals per game (1.68), fifth in defensive rating (105.2), and first in loose balls recovered per game (1.1).

Smart is only the second Celtics player to win the award since its inception in 1982 along with the legendary Kevin Garnett, who did it in the 2007-2008 championship season.

The award has been recently dominated by the big men. Smart and Gary Payton are the only point guards to win it since the inception of the award.

The NBA DPOY announcement:

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