Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart was named Defensive Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season. He became the first guard since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season to achieve the feat.
Smart received 257 points (37 first-place votes) from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges finished in second place with 202 points (22 first-place votes).
Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert finished in third place with 136 points (12 first-place votes). The first place votes awarded each player with five points.
Behind Smart, the Celtics led the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5) and held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.9).
Their strong performance led Boston to 51-31 record, which ranked second-best in the Eastern Conference. Smart has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons).
He also won the NBA Hustle Award for the 2018-19 season. This season, he averaged 12.1 points, a career-high 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game.
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