Boston Celtics shooting guard Marcus Smart has earned a reputation as a grinder in his four-plus seasons in the NBA.

Despite averaging fewer minutes per game this season than any other aside from his rookie year, Smart is averaging a career-high 1.7 steals per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA.

His contributions on the defensive side of the ball have not gone unnoticed by head coach Brad Stevens, who believes Smart should make the NBA All-Defensive team:

NBC Sports Boston's Chris Forsberg tweeted out a full statement that Stevens made on his behalf:

In spite of Stevens' praise, Smart's defensive rating of 104.4 this season is actually the second-worst of his career and over five points higher than in 2017-18.

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That said, a lot is asked of Smart with the Celtics, who rank fourth in the NBA in team defensive rating. Smart frequently guards the opponent's best player, and his physicality at the two guard spot is a defining characteristic.

This is the second time that Stevens has made a plea on Smart's behalf, with the last of such comments coming back in December:

For his part, Smart referred to the All-Defensive teams as a “popularity contest,” but also told Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald:

“I’ve thought about it. I think that I do a pretty good job. These five years I’ve been here I’ve been showing and showcasing that I am one of the top defenders in this league and things like that, but I don’t let it get me too worked up.”

If nothing else, Smart has the full support of his coach.