NBA 2022 Finals: Warriors' Steve Kerr compares Marcus Smart to Draymond Green; here's why
Ahead of his team's NBA 2022 Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors' Steve Kerr praised Defensive Player Of The Year, Marcus Smart.
FollowGolden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has compared Marcus Smart to his team's defensive anchor Draymond Green. Like Green, Smart has had a reputation for being his team's defensive and emotional leader. Both Green and Smart were part of the NBA's All-Defense this season, with Smart winning Defensive Player of the Year. Green, who many considered the Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner before his injury, won the award back in 2017.
Asked about Smart, Steve Kerr said, "His strength and his anticipation, he's got an incredible feel for the game at that end. He's like the guard version of Draymond. He's reading angles. He's guarding all five positions. If he switches on to a five-man, he's so strong, and he can hold them off. He's quick enough to chase point guards around and big enough to guard wings so that he can guard 1-5 in the modern game. He's appropriately named, a brilliant player and versatile and great defender."
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When asked about the comparison, Draymond Green agreed with his head coach as he said, "Yeah, for sure. He's the emotional leader. He's the anchor on their defence, in a way. In a way, Robert Williams is the anchor, Al Horford is an anchor in a way, but Marcus Smart is your real anchor on that defence. And then, on the offensive end, he's getting everybody involved. He's the one calling the sets. And so, I see some of that. But, that's a guy that I have a lot of respect for, and to see him coming into his own -- and I've used this a couple of times -- to see him looking like the Marcus Smart that came out of Oklahoma State and had so much promise, to see him back playing that way and at that level, it's been fun to watch."
