Boston Celtics with best defensive duo in the NBA
Al Horford and Marcus Smart give the Boston Celtics the best defensive duo in the NBA
The Boston Celtics came out of last season as the best defense in the league for the majority of the season, and that was with injuries to almost every single significant position. What that shows us is that the Celtics have defensive depth, and a coach that knows how to make things work with the talent he has.
The Celtics have a lot of good things going for them on defense, but the best part is that they have what should be the best defensive duo in the NBA next season. The most interesting part, however, is that one is a starter and the other is not.
The two of them could see their minutes staggered quite a bit. That being said, when you think about what Marcus Smart brings to the back court and what Al Horford brings to the front court, there is not another duo in the NBA that you can say is definitely better than them.
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Both of them are legitimate defensive player of the year options this season. They both have all the versatility in the world, and they both go out there paying relatively mistake free defense, while making up for issues that go on all around them.
They are two of the best individual defenders in the NBA, while impacting the players around them just as much. The Celtics have designed their defense around what the two of them are capable of doing, and they will be the key to the Celtics dominating on that end this year.
What makes both Horford and Smart so special, and what makes them a stronger duo than any other in the NBA, is the versatility. You will not find another center, that is able to switch onto guards and small forwards and hold his own.
You also will not find another guard who can go up against seven footers on a regular basis, and continue to be the most disruptive player on the court. That versatility alone is the key to the Celtics defense, and is what makes them so great.
What makes it even more impressive is how much responsibility they have. The Celtics do not have other players on the roster who can do what they do on defense. The Celtics continually go away from traditional size, putting all kinds of pressure on Horford to hold down the paint while being able to switch.
With Smart, he is expected to be able to shut down any kind of matchup that is ahead of him, while being the most disruptive player on the court. It is not enough for him to just lock down a individual, because they always need him to be generating turnovers, and putting the opponent into the worst possible position.
The two of them have as much defensive responsibility as anyone in the NBA, and they have the results to back them up as one of the truly elite defenses in the NBA.
The two of them understand more than anyone else how important the little things are. They do not need to be prolific scorers to know what kind of impact they are having. They are the leaders out there on defense, keeping everyone in position and making life a bit better for everyone around them on that end.
The two of them are the reason the Celtics should once again have an elite defense to go with their powerhouse offense. They understand what they can expect out of them, and it allows them to work with any kind of lineup that Stevens wants.
No matter where there might be a hole, or where an opponent might be able to exploit them, having the versatility and effectiveness of Smart and Horford allows them to adapt to any situation, eliminating any potential advantage their opponent might get.