Boston Celtics: Grading every player from the 2019-20 season

Marcus Smart’s grade: A-

Marcus Smart has been a Boston favorite for years now. And as Danny Ainge’s confidence in the longest tenured Celtics player continues to grow, it seems that he will be apart of the Boston Celtics’ long-term plan.

His off-ball defense alone has given him a real case for Defensive Player of the Year, but even at that end, he continues to improve. On offense, Smart gained even more confidence in his play this season. Smart, this year, was a 12.9 point per game scorer, with 3.8 rebounds. 4.9 assists, shooting 37 percent from the floor, all while winning all-defensive first-team honors.

Near the latter end of the season, when Walker was experiencing some knee troubles, between mid-February to the first game of the bubble (before Smart’s playing time was limited before the playoffs), Smart averaged 19.1 points a game on 40% shooting, and improved defense.

Then in the playoffs, Smart maintained his consistent offensive play. In Walker’s worst three-game stretch, shooting less than 20 percent while scoring 12.7 points a night, Smart stepped up as the Celtics top guard. Smart averaged 21.7 points a game on 46 percent shooting, with 5.7 assists and 5.3 rebounds. He also shot 41 percent from three, shooting over 11 attempts a game.

The sample size is small, but if Smart can resume where he left off in the playoffs, the sky is the limit. But even if he does not, his defense alone has made him one of the most precious pieces for this Celtics team.