The Boston Celtics magical 2021-22 season continues. With another dominant win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, the C’s have now won five straight games, and continue to move their way up the Eastern Conference standings.
The dominance asserted during these wins has been quite impressive. Over the last five games, Boston has built up at least a 24 point lead at one point or another in each of those wins. These wins aren’t coming against light competition either. They have managed to do this against high quality competition such as the Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, and the aforementioned Jazz.
It’s been a blend of the Celtics offensive game finally matching the heights that their defensive game has been at all season long. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are good for 25+ points a night at this point, and the rest of the rotation features players all capable of chipping in at least 10-15 points on any given night. It’s really just a matter of who ends up with the hot hand.
While it’s been great to see the team scoring consistently, the C’s defensive efforts continue to remain a hot topic of conversation. Their defense has been fantastic all season long, and while it’s largely been a team effort, there are two players in particular that have stood out, and are beginning to see their names mentioned in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation. Let’s look at those two players, and review their DPOY cases as the end of the regular season nears.
Boston Celtics DPOY candidate No. 2: Robert Williams
Robert Williams development in his first full season as a starter has been a joy to watch. Williams went from being an injury-prone player who was a sparkplug off the bench when used, but was too eager to always make a big play. Opponents would take advantage of that from time to time, seemingly limiting Williams’ potential.
Williams has done a complete 180 this season, and has thrived as the anchor of Boston’s renowned defense. Williams is tied for second in the league with perenial DPOY candidate Rudy Gobert for 2.2 blocks per game. It’s pretty much a guarantee that if the Celtics are playing, you are going to see a highlight block from the “Time Lord” pop up on your TV or phone screen at some point in the near future.
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In more advanced metrics, Williams is third in the league in with 3.8 defensive win shares (an estimate of how many wins a player’s defense has contributed to their team). Williams is also fifth in the league with a 103.2 defensive rating (which basically measures a players’ effectivenes in preventing an opponent from scoring). Whichever way you look at it, Williams has been a monster defensively this season.
Williams defensive capabilities have allowed coach Ime Udoka to get creative with how he uses him on defense. Recently, he has been leaving Williams in the corner on their opponent’s worst shooter, allowing him the ability to roll into the paint should the ball make it there. This can only be done because even if they want to challenge Williams at the perimeter, his quick feet and massive wingspan make it very tough to get any sort of seperation from him.
In terms of advanced metrics, Williams is right up there with the best of the best. His ability to control the paint, while also being able to guard the perimeter when called upon, makes him one of the most versatile defenders in the game. However, it’s going to be tough for him to overtake Gobert as the top big man defender, which is why it’s more likely the real DPOY candidate is…
Boston Celtics DPOY candidate No. 1: Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart has been the leader of Boston’s defensive efforts for quite some time now, and as the unit continues to succeed, he continues to get more recognition. After a down year last season, Smart has bounced back this season to reassert himself as one of the most tenacious defensive guards in the game, and his DPOY campaign appears to be picking up some serious steam.
Much has been made of Smart’s development into a true point guard on offense, but defensively he’s been at the top of his game as well. Smart draws the toughest assignment on defense on a nightly basis, and while most of these players will get their points one way or another, Smart does all he can to make their lives as tough as possible. For example, Donovan Mitchell dropped 37 points for the Jazz in Wednesday’s game, but it didn’t matter because they still lost by 28 points.
Smart’s value is typically defined in plays that don’t appear on the statsheet. He’s fifth in the league with 1.7 steals per game, but his advanced metrics don’t score as high as Williams’ do (3.3 defensive win shares, 104.8 defensive rating). Those numbers are nothing to scoff at, but they may ultimately hold back Smart from winning the award.
It’s clear that Smart is the heart and soul of the best defense in the league though, and that scores some points with voters. Smart has always been a fantastic defender, but given how good Boston’s defensie has been this season, and how integral Smart’s role is within that unit, it’s clear why he’s finally getting the consideration he deserves.
Smart’s impact won’t always show up on the statsheet, but for those who watch the games, his impact is hard to miss. He’s constantly helping his teammates get set, bursting through screens, poking balls free, diving for loose balls, and just generally making life difficult for his matchup. Smart’s finally getting the resepct he deserves for his defensive game, and it should at least lead to a spot as one of the three finalists for the award.