"I'm the youngest of 4 boys; My whole life, you gotta fight, you gotta be tough" - Marcus Smart issues emphatic, emotional statement on his mental toughness after return to Boston Celtics' lineup, reigning DPOY says, "being the youngest, you ain't got no choice but to be tough"
"But I told myself, 'Game 2, you playin; I don't care how much you're hurting!'" - Marcus Smart on his emphatic return from injury in Boston Celtics' lineup as reigning DPOY hands blowout defeat to Miami Heat in Game 2
"He sets the tone; Defensive Player of the Year for a reason!" - Ime Udoka with all the love for Marcus Smart as returning superstar puts up defensive masterclass against Miami Heat, handing Boston Celtics a blowout win
NBA News Roundup: League might change rules around the transition take foul, Marcus Smart expected to return for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, and more - May 19th, 2022
"It's harder to score on the defensive player of the year, fool!" - Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley get into a heated debate over potential showdown between Marcus Smart and 6x All-Star
“They went for the knockout early, Miami weathered it” - Colin Cowherd says the Boston Celtics ran out of gas, believes they’ll win the series eventually
"That puts more pressure on Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on both ends of the floor" - Stephen A. Smith opines DPOY winner's absence for Boston Celtics in Game 1, believes it could be a costly miss
"Seven-plus wingspan and those long strides!” - Marcus Smart on limiting 6-time All Star's impact being key to Boston Celtics’ hopes of making Conference Finals
“Larry Bird is shaking his head saying ‘I’m gonna disown these guys’” - Skip Bayless says the Boston Celtics gave the Bucks a Christmas bouquet, says Jayson Tatum still hasn’t arrived as a superstar
"If Jrue Holiday was a yeller and screamer, and looked like he had bad hygiene, he’d win DPOY" - NBA World mercilessly slanders Marcus Smart after Celtics' heartbreaking loss against Bucks
“I’ll teach my guys to flop a little more” - Ime Udoka disappointed by the officiating in Game 3 vs the Bucks, believes Marcus Smart should have got a shooting foul
“What we do a lot now is.… What’s wrong with Giannis? What’s wrong with Kevin? Instead of looking at the other side” - JJ Redick says the Boston Celtics have the best playoff defense in recent memory
“Offence win you game, defence win you championships.… Jayson Tatum right now is the best 2-way player in the NBA right now” - Kendrick Perkins believes the Boston Celtics are the best team in the NBA
"Marcus Smart is the smallest guy in the lineup, and he's 6'4" - Kevin Durant outlines the reason for Boston Celtics' defense being effective against Brooklyn Nets
“The mere fact that Marcus Smart won this award will fuel the fire of both KD and Kyrie” - Skip Bayless on Marcus Smart winning DPOY, believes the Nets should’ve won Game 1
“He has a lot of what you call last minute moves, you think you’ve guarded him, and he always finds a way” - Marcus Smart calls Kyrie Irving a ‘magician’
"We have not given those grinders, the Mikal Bridges and Marcus Smarts, their due" - Doris Burke reveals the reason for casting her DPOY vote in favor of Marcus Smart
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