Per the NBA, veteran Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart is the winner of the league’s 2022-23 NBA Hustle Award, his second such honor in as many seasons and his third such award in the last five seasons. He is the first player in the award’s history to win it back-to-back.
The award was first given to Patrick Beverley, and Amir Johnson, Montrezl Harrell and Thaddeus Young have been the other recipients.
Per NBA.com’s Brian Martin, the NBA Hustle Award “rewards players that make the effort plays that don’t often appear in the traditional box score but impact winning on a nightly basis.”
“Hustle stats — including deflections, loose balls recovered, charges drawn, screen assists, contested shots, and box-outs — have been tracked by the NBA since the 2016 postseason and can be viewed on an individual and team level.”
Celtics Lab 187: Rapid response to Boston’s blowout Game 2 win, Embiid’s flop of a return, and odd drone decisions https://t.co/hsl3n1ifmr
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) May 4, 2023
“Smart showcases hustle in every aspect of the game,” the NBA release added. “The 2021-22 Kia Defensive Player of the Year, Smart doesn’t hesitate to dive on the floor for a loose ball and securing those 50-50 balls are a key component to earning more possessions. Smart finished 14th in loose balls recovered per game this season.”
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