Here’s where Celtics’ Marcus Smart finished in Defensive Player of the Year voting

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart is one of the NBA’s best defensive players, but he didn’t get a ton of respect in the voting for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

The results of the voting were announced Tuesday, and Smart finished seventh. He received one second place vote and four third-place votes. 

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo easily won the award over Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis in second place and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert in third place. The last time a guard won Defensive Player of the Year was Gary Payton in 1995-96.

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Marcus Smart finished tied for sixth in Defensive Player of the Year balloting, placing on only 5 of the 100 ballots cast with only one second-place vote and four third-place votes. pic.twitter.com/cjW0UGsQKx

The fact that Andre Drummond received a first place vote and Smart did not is pretty bad.

Antetokounmpo is a deserving winner of the award, and he’ll likely win league MVP for the second straight season, too. That said, Smart should’ve finished higher in the voting. He’s a lockdown defender with the elite talent and versatility to effectively guard every single position on the court. 

Smart is the heart and soul of the Celtics, and the effort he brings on the defensive end of the court is contagious. The veteran guard was selected to the league’s All-Defensive first team last season, and he absolutely deserves that same recognition again in 2020.

Here’s where Celtics’ Marcus Smart finished in Defensive Player of the Year voting originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com