The Boston Celtics have one of the best defenders in the game today in Marcus Smart. The fact that he just won Defensive Player of the Year this season is a clear testament to this fact. However, even the feisty combo guard himself struggles with trying to defend Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.

Ahead of Tuesday's Game 5 bout, Smart got brutally honest about one of the biggest challenges he's had to face in trying to stop Curry. The Celtics star had nothing but praise for Steph as Smart detailed why there are no breathers when you're tasked with being Curry's primary defender:

“We all know what he can do outside of 20 feet, 30 to 35, 40 feet. The dude is special in that regard,” Smart said on Sunday, via NBA on Twitter. “The way that he's able to affect the game, being able to run around and play off the ball and get himself open. It's just tough on a defender because you can't take a break. The instance that you think he's not doing anything, the play's over for him, and that's when you get beaten, that's when you get burnt. That's when that mentality comes in that you gotta stay ready, you can't give up. You gotta keep going.”

Smart knows all too well how Curry can impact the game at any given time. This is just how gifted the Warriors superstar is. After all, this is the greatest shooter of all time that we're talking about here.

“So, for him, he can affect the game at all levels — passing, playmaking, shooting the ball, scoring the ball. So, he got the whole package and you have to be able to guard every last thing he has, and not many players can do that,” said the Celtics stud.

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