Today the NBA announced that Celtic guard Smart won defensive player of the year.
On April 18, the NBA official website announced the candidates for the defensive player of the year. Suns Mikael Bridges, Jazz Gobert and Celtic Smart.
4.19 The NBA official website announced that Celtic guard Smart won the Defensive Player of the Year award! Smart averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game, winning the award for the first time in his career, beating Bridges and Gobert.
Defender's defensive player of the year goes back to 1995-96 when Payton was elected DPOY as a point guard. After 26 years, Smart also received this award from Payton, which is of great significance.
Subsequently, the official website also announced the specific number of votes, and Smart won it a bit thrillingly, only 55 points ahead of Bridges. Smart received 37 first votes, 18 second votes and 18 third votes for a total of 257 points: Bridges received 22 first votes, 25 second votes and 17 third votes with a total score of 202 points. Gobert scored 136 points in total.