Don’t miss NBC Sports Boston's coverage of Celtics-Knicks, which tips off Saturday at 7 p.m. ET with Celtics Pregame Live, and then Mike & Scal have the call of the game at 7:30 p.m. You can also stream the game through the MyTeams App.
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Marcus Smart knows a thing or two about putting his body on the line. And he likes the way the new guy does it, too.
Point guard Kemba Walker drew an impressive four charges Friday night at TD Garden, helping the Boston Celtics defeat the Toronto Raptors with strong play on both ends of the floor.
The following day, Smart showed his teammate some love on Twitter -- while making a very, very early pitch to get Walker on the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
Smart made the All-Defensive Team for the first time in his NBA career last season, and Walker very well could be a candidate join him this season. The 29-year-old is tied for the NBA lead in charges drawn through two games and has led all NBA guards in charges drawn in two of the last three seasons.
Walker also has a head coach who prioritizes defense in Brad Stevens and represents a considerable defensive upgrade at point guard from Kyrie Irving. It appears his effort on the defensive end already has endeared him to his teammates -- most notably Smart, who prides himself on defense and hustle.
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Next up for Walker and the Celtics is a road matchup Saturday night against the New York Knicks, who dropped their first two games of the season.
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