Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies had eight steals last night. Eight!
He is one of the league’s toughest on-the-ball defenders — the type of guy every contending team needs on its roster to sic on the opposing team’s best scorer.
Lindsay Hunter made a living out of it for years. So did Bruce Bowen.
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute of the Milwaukee Bucks has joined that select group, and Andre Iguodala has made his mark in the NBA and internationally (on the 2010 version of Team USA) for his ability to stop opposing scorers.
When I polled a couple of NBA coaches via text message over the weekend to ask for their best on-the-ball defenders, the only name on every coach’s list was Indiana’s Paul George.
I raise the subject because I am voting this season for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year (along with the other major awards), and I want this site’s readers to make a case for someone who they feels merits consideration.
The award typically goes to a player who has led the league in blocks or steals, because those are the NBA’s two main defensive-minded statistics — and voters on this award often reward stats over the ability to force stops.
As columnist Moke Hamilton pointed out in making the case that Tyson Chandler is deserving of the award, altered shots can be just as important as blocked shots, and a vocal team leader who can change a team’s defensive mindset is entirely impossible to quantify with numbers.
Shawn Marion has defended every position this season, as has LeBron James. They are cast in the mold of Bowen, who never won the award.
In fact, the last two pure on-the-ball defenders to win the award were Ron Artest of Indiana in 2003-04, and Gary Payton of Seattle in 1995-96.
Dwight Howard has taken home the last three DPOY awards, Ben Wallace won four times in five years from 2001-02 until 2005-06, and Dikembe Mutombo won it four times in seven years from 1994-95 through 2000-01.
There is little doubt in my mind that Serge Ibaka of Oklahoma City is going to be the winner this year mainly for his shot-blocking prowess. He is averaging 3.69 blocks per game, the highest total by an NBA player since Theo Ratliff averaged 3.74 for the 2000-01 Philadelphia 76ers.
Ibaka is going to be on my ballot (I won’t tell you exactly where until Friday, when I reveal all my votes), but I wanted to give readers the opportunity to make an intelligent case for someone else who should be considered.
The comments section is open, so have at it, folks.
Definitely IBAKA. He disseminates TERROR in the paint. Outstanding player. People are so afraid to go to the rim when he’s on the court.
However, I think he doesnt have minutes enough for people to value him as he deserves, and Chandler will get it.
The next two pure on-the-ball defenders to win the award will be Paul George (star in the making) and Iman Shumpert (who plays with a tenacity i haven’t seen since Gary Payton, or Kobe in the Olympics). The person who deserves it most this year is probably Chandler, the fact that the team is even average with way below average defenders in Melo (very capable but never tries) , Amare, Linsanity (copyright V.C.), Novak, and Baron Davis all getting regular PT is amazing. A close second goes to Marion because he heads the leagues best defense with “slightly better” but similarly below average defensive talent (Kudos to you zone defense <3 the Mavs). Gentry deserves C.O.Y. award for even being in the playoff picture this late.
Totally agree with you Drew!
Like some others before me,I say Tyson Chandler
Andre Iguodala. But I would not be disappointed if Allen won it as he is very deserving. All of my awards in tomorrow’s column, including a surprise for Most Improved.
Tony Allen. He changes the whole game with his energy.
Tyson Chandler deserve it.
Obviously I think DPOY should go to Tyson Chandler. He has changed the Knicks defense in ways no one thought was possible. Other players may have better stats but Tyson’s presence & leadership is something you can’t possibly put on paper. The differences in the Knicks with Chandler on the court & without him are significant. You’ve seen the numbers enough I don’t need to repeat them here.
-@TeamChandler6
It has to be Lebron. He not only guards all positions, but he gets on the best player and shuts him down at the end of games. Marion is good but he can be outmuscled by bigger guys. We can’t just ignore what LeBron’s impact is for one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Tyson Chandler should get the award this year. He has had such an impact on the entire Knick franchise from a defensive perspective. Look at how they play when he’s out. Sunday against Atlanta is a perfect example of how much his presence means.
Kevin Garnett is still the backbone of the Celtics defense.
Ty Chandler is good, but ‘Melo still doesn’t play any defense… a change in mindset occurred after D’Antoni left, has nothing to do with TC.
Ibaka and Tony Allen are also good choices, but they don’t impact the rest of the team’s defense like KG does.
The Knicks were a top defensive team even when D’antoni was coaching. All you have to do is look at the numbers when Chandler doesn’t play or when he goes to the bench for a break, since the coaching change, and you’ll realize that Chandler has a very strong impact on Knicks’ defense. He is the Knicks defense.
I agree that Chandler is a viable candidate, but it is worth noting that KG is still leading the way for the Celtics ever-elite defense, something very few people have done. Interestingly, Loammi, what you said about Chandler can be said about KG. I haven’t looked at the numbers of the Cs with and without KG but the eye test says the same. However to be my own Devil’s Advocate, I will say (and I keep hearing this about Chandler specifically but it would apply to KG as well), how useful is it to say “When he doesn’t play the defense is awful!” when the guy has missed only 4 or 5 games? Seems like an awful small sample size.
Yes KG was a big piece in the Celtics defensive mindset after the big trades a couple years ago, but let’s not forget Tom Thibs and the defensive culture he instilled in this Celtics core. So mentioning KG as someone who resurrected the C’s defense this season is ludicrous. Tyson When Chandler plays, the Knicks give up 20+ points less to opponents. And before Mike Woodson took over, under MDA, NY was top 10 in defensive rating. Woodson taking over only brought attention to the defensive aspect of the game because noone wanted to highlight anything MDA did positively if it wasn’t on offensive side of the ball. What other teams in recent memory have jumped from the bottom 10 to top 5 in defensive efficiency in one season?
I wasn’t referring to the improvement from one year to the next. I was referring to the fact that the Celtics are a much poorer defensive team (this year) when KG doesn’t play. I don’t really see the relevance of New York’s team defense last year to Chandler’s defense this year, which is what is under consideration here. It may make Chandler’s contribution more apparent, because of the contrast, but I don’t think that makes it any better than anyone else’s necessarily. I don’t really think the “When so-and-so misses game” argument carries much weight either, when it’s only a handful of games. KG missed games against the Bobcats and the Heat without their Big 3 playing, and the Celtics held them to 82 and 66 points respectively; I don’t think that really says anything about KG’s value as a defensive player. Context matters, pace of the game also matters when you’re talking points per game. I will say the more I have seen Chandler the more impressed I have been with him.
Melo is actually playing defense since Woodson was hired. I have watched every game and there is a definite change in his effort on the defensive end.
Tony Allen by far.. Best defender in the league!
If I had a vote, it would be for LeBron for the versatility of his defence and the fact that in the clutch he guards the opposition’s best player, whatever type of player, and does it extremely well. Who are the top scorers, the best scorers in the NBA, and the guys who have the ball with the game on the line? Guys like Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant. Who guards them, LeBron James or Tyson Chandler? Right. There’s your DPOY and the reason.
(Oh, and Dwight Howard does the same job as Chandler except better. Chandler has had a big impact on the Knicks’ defence, but Howard has at least as big an impact on the Magic’s defence)
(Oh, and Serge Ibaka winning would be a travesty. Not even the best defender on his team. He has stupendous timing at swatting balls into the 3rd row, but blocks have got to be the most overrated stat- usually you’d prefer to alter a shot for a conventional miss and get a rebound, how often does a block go out of bounds or straight back to the offence?)
Tyson Chandler for DPOY. Changed two teams into great defensive teams. Tony Allen is the best perimeter defender. Lebron is most versatile, great helper, and good one on one at the end of games. I like what Marion and Iggy do as well. I like what Ibaka does, he’s a great help defender, terrific shot blocker and changes a lot of shots. He can get completely overwhelmed in a one on one situations though.
Tony Allen by a long long way.
Tyson Chandler is the DPOY to me. I haven’t seen a player that impacts a team’s defense more than him this season, while still shutting down his own man. Guys like Tony Allen/Shawn Marion, while making important individual contributions, have not been consistent enough. The only player that challenges Chandler, to me, is Dwight Howard, and he’s just been too much of a headcase this season. I also don’t think his one on one defense was good as Chandler this season. You give him one solid pump fake and he’s out of the gym.
KG is still KG, I would say to that; very similar. I’m not sure how their rebounding compares; Chandler could very well have the edge there. I’m sure the rebuttal is the Celtics have better defensive players, and while I can’t speak to the Knicks side, I do know Paul Pierce has dropped off this year as a defender and rebounder. And adding an elite defender in Avery Bradley to the rotation made an already elite defense into a historically good one (for a stretch there anyway). Obviously there are a lot of good candidates out there, and most of them have been mentioned here and elsewhere, but if you are talking about a guy who makes the team defense work while also shutting down his own guy, KG has to be at the top of the list.
By the way I’m also 4th in defensive rating and the league leader in defensive win shares, but keep ignoring me, jackasses.
Forgot about J Smoove. He can guard three positions, terrific shot blocker and good rebounder.
I’d give it to Tyson Chandler. He has completely changed the entire Knicks team’s mindset of how to defend. As you say, this is unquantifiable. Just look at the games he hasn’t played. Knicks give up something like 118 on average! Ibaka is kind-of the “outstanding defender of the year”. Chandler is the “Most Valuable player on Defense of the year.” (That would be an ugly name for an award, wouldn’t it. 🙂
Y’all always forget about me, as usual. ONLY player in the top 20 in steals and blocks. Anchor of the 6th ranked team in defensive efficiency. Y’all snubbed me for the All Star team twice and now you’re not even going to MENTION me for DPOY. Get the F outta here.
well perkins is actually a better post defender, ibakas stats are because of gambling but anyone who watches them play (or has watched perkins play) knows that he basically doesn’t allow players into the paint, with or without the ball.
Plus, they are not even a top 5 (or 6 or 7 or 8) defense. So yea, we can give an award for fantasy shot blocker of the year, or give it to the best defender, which is probably lebron, marion, allen, iguodala, or chandler (all before serge. )
Tyson Chandler. He has transformed the Knicks to one of the top defensive teams with him being the defensive anchor (like KG for Boston). Gave them a new identity.
Tyson Chandler should win. He basically transformed the Knicks from the 22nd ranked defense to the 5th best defense in the NBA. The guys defensive stats are not amazing, but if you look at the impact he has on the overall team defense, his presence is extremely important. He defends his man, just look at what he did to Dwight Howard in three games this season. Look what he did to Andrew Bynum. No opposing center has had a huge or even decent game against the Knicks this year when Chandler has played.
Tyson chandler. man singlehandedly changed Knicks identity
Joakim Noah is an outstanding defender who can move from the perimeter to the interior. He has high energy all the time.