If you ask Boston Celtics veteran guard Marcus Smart what position he plays, he’s been known to joke that he’s a “stretch six”.
While that might seem a bit confusing, it’s a nod to the Flower Mound native’s ability to guard every player coming his way in short bursts — whether they are quick point guards or lumbering big men.
And that defensive adaptability has made the Oklahoma State product one of the most versatile defenders in real life as well as jokes, with Smart guarding players in diverse of game as the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic to the Houston Rockets’ James Harden.
For the Texan defensive specialist, it’s about a mixture of strength, timing, positioning and fearlessness — all things Smart has in abundance. Watch the video above yourself to see how he does it with players often taller and bigger than him throughout the 2019-20 NBA season so far.
