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Game 2 of that series is set for Wednesday. Smart had 20 points and five rebounds in Boston's last-second 115-114 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series on Sunday. They held the best defensive rating at 106.2 and allowed just 104.5 points per game while holding opponents to both the lowest field-goal percentage and lowest 3-point percentage. Considering Smart has been at the heart of the. He also helped turn the Celtics into the best defensive team in the NBA this season. Last week, Celtics guard Marcus Smart pointed out on Twitter that no NBA guard has been named Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in 1996. The 28-year-old finished seventh in steals per game and sixth in total steals across the league. Smart averaged 12.2 points, 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game this season, his eighth with the team. Smart, an eight-year veteran, helped the Celtics lead the NBA in. Smart is now just the second Celtics player to win the award, joining Kevin Garnett. Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart notched a career highlight on Monday when he was named the NBAs Defensive Player of the Year. Smart is the first guard to win the award since Payton 26 years ago, the first Celtics player to take it home since Kevin Garnett led the franchise to banner No.
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Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, who said he felt disrespected being left off the finalist list earlier on Monday, finished fourth. Smart has long pined for an opportunity to be the Celtics’ starting point guard, which is his preferred role on the court. Bridges came in second with 202 points, and Gobert took third with 136. Smart earned 257 points and 37 first-place votes. Smart was up against Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, who has won the award in three of the past four seasons. Michael Jordan, Alvin Robertson, Michael Cooper and Sidney Moncrief are the other guards who have won. Payton was at the Celtics' practice facility on Monday to break the news to Smart, too.