"They make you pay for every little thing" - Marcus Smart talks about how difficult it was to play the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals

The 2022 NBA Finals marked the Boston Celtics' return to elite status. With Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart clicking on all cylinders, it appeared like the Celtics would make a triumphant return to the top of the NBA, as they held a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors .

However, it was not meant to be, as Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins came alive to rally the Dubs, helping Golden State to win three straight to close out the Celtics and capture the 2022 NBA championship. As painful as that loss was for Smart, he learned a crucial lesson in that series regarding keeping your defensive focus against a smart and intuitive team like the Warriors.

Must stay focused at all times

The Warriors are one of the most innovative teams of the modern era. With a read-and-react offense that maximizes the spectacular shooting abilities of Steph and his "Splash Brother," Klay Thompson, defenses must be on their toes at all times or risk getting burned. This lesson was drilled into Smart and the Celtics during their intense playoff series, ultimately leading to their defeat.

"Different," Smart said when asked how much room for error defenses have when matching up against the Dubs.

"I'm talking about marginal, like very marginal. I mean, they make you pay for every little thing. And you know, you feel like you have to play perfect," Smart, who was often tasked with guarding Steph, added.

This was never clearer than in Game 4 of that series. The Celtics were playing at home, holding a 2-1 series lead and a chance to impose their will in the series. However, instead of taking a commanding 3-1 series lead, Steph went supernova, scoring 43 points and going 7-for-14 from beyond the arc to help the Warriors tie the series up at 2-2. Golden State wouldn't lose again in the series.

The importance of taking care of business early

Another harsh lesson Smart said he learned during that playoff run was the importance of taking care of business early. While Golden State breezed through to the finals with a dominant 4-1 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, Boston had to survive seven-game showdowns in the second round and in the Eastern Conference Finals.

"We were banged up, you know what I'm saying? Them boys went, they had a whole week. They went on vacation and sh*t, you know what I'm saying? But that's what happens when you do your work like you're supposed to," Smart stressed.

Now with the Memphis Grizzlies, the former Oklahoma State star hopes to impart these lessons to his younger teammates as they try to bounce back from their injury-riddled campaign last season and return to playoff contention.

Related: Marcus Smart picks between 2012 and 2018 LeBron James: "'18 didn't do him no justice"