To beat the Golden State Warriors and become the 2021-22 NBA champions, the Boston Celtics will need to get a good night's sleep.

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This will be the key to success for the formation of Massachusetts, according to Marcus Smart.

“Being able to sleep will be very important on this show,” he said in an interview with Yahoo! Sports. We know they are going to make us run a lot. We'll have to put on our sneakers and be ready. For me, it will be important to be able to recover and get a good night's sleep. I have to be able to keep up with my opponents and feel rested.”

The 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year also expects to be a target for Warriors fans when the NBA's final series is played at Chase Center.

"I'm used to it. As I always take care of a team's favorite player, how can I not be a target for fans? It's always like that. I know that I'm not everyone's favorite player, that the spectators are not all supporters of me. It's the story of my life. With my style of play, I'm an easy target. I'm not the easiest player to like, so nothing new under the sun for me. I have a good mind and my team is behind me, so it's fine.

Against Curry

Smart's main mission in the Finals will be to contain the excellent Stephen Curry, the favorite of the Las Vegas bookmakers for the title of most valuable player of the last playoff meeting in the NBA.

"It's a unique opportunity and a special challenge to defend against Stephen Curry at this level of competition," said the 28-year-old athlete. My first final is against one of the greatest players of all time and a regular in the final. I'm taking this duel like any other, but I'm still a little more focused. I study every aspect of his game, to make sure I understand everything.

The last time Smart and Curry played against each other, last March, the former had injured the latter in the left leg when diving to the ground to recover a ball. The Warriors star did not play in the regular season again after that. California club coach Steve Kerr had criticized the Celtics color holder for his gesture.

"We're always wrong when it comes to the Warriors and Curry. Even when we are right, for some, we are wrong. I understand Kerr's desire to protect his player, but Curry came himself to say that I did not try to hurt him, recalled Smart. I've been playing in the NBA for eight years and I've always thrown myself on the court. Even in a regular season or preseason game, I'm like that.

- The first game of the series between the Celtics and the Warriors will take place this Thursday evening at the Chase Center.