Rudy Gobert will not be named the NBA’s best defenseman for a fourth year. At least not this year.
Celtics player Marcus Smart was named best defender of the season on Monday evening, preventing the French pivot, who plays at Utah Jazz and was one of the three finalists, from adding a fourth trophy to his list, announced the NBA.
Marcus Smart is the first point guard to receive the award since Gary Payton in 1996, when he played for the Seattle SuperSonics, and he is Boston’s second, after inside Kevin Garnett in 2008. He has amassed 257 points, awarded by a panel of 100 journalists from around the world, winger Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns) is second with 202 points, French pivot Rudy Gobert third with 136 points.
The latter, already winner of this trophy three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021, fails to join Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace among the most awarded in history.
Rudy Gobert was on the floor of the Dallas Mavericks Monday night for the second game of the first round of the playoffs in the west. After a first victory, the Utah Jazz lost (110-104). The series, which is played best of seven sets, is now tied (1-1).