NBA players always seem to question what the media knows when the voting for awards don’t go a certain way. That was again the case when it was determined that Marc Gasol won the Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
Manu Ginobili, who has had the privilege of playing alongside the great defense of Tim Duncan all his career, clearly did not appreciate his big man getting snubbed for the award after having yet another impacting presence on the defensive end for one of the best teams in the league. Here is what he had to say, from Mike Monroe of San Antonio Express-News:
“It is the toughest award they give away because players don’t vote,” Ginobili said. “It’s the player that (goes) against other players who know. Sometimes the best rebounder is not the best defender; or the best in steals is not a great defender. He just gambles a lot. “It could be (an award for players to choose), but it’s been going on for so many years. It’s not that I’m complaining, but probably we do know better than the media.”… “What I know is that when we have him we are one thing and when we don’t we are another thing,” he said. “It is because of his presence, his smartness, his deflections, being in position, things like that.”
Actually, most feel the toughest award to give out is the Most Improved Player award, simply because there are so many options with a lack of clarity on what exactly constitutes “most improved”. Either way, if Ginobili’s logic of “it’s the players that goes against other players who know” is the answer to giving out an award, then the media should not have a vote at all for any award, because the same case can be made for all other awards, not just the Defensive Player of the Year award. The fact of the matter is, someone will always be unhappy for not winning, no matter who the voters are. They even have a problem when coaches vote for All-Star reserves. Come on.
Dwight Howard also chimed in on where he ended up in the voting for the award, from Mike Bresnahan of Los Angeles Times:
Dwight Howard was 14th in the voting for defensive player of the year, receiving one first-place vote and four third-place votes. Howard seemed surprised, if not mildly irritated, to finish that far behind. Memphis center Marc Gasol won the award, which was announced Wednesday by the league. “That’s funny,” Howard said of his distant finish. “That’s OK. We’ve got next year and I’ve got a long time. But this year is funny. “I didn’t vote, so I don’t know what to do about it. But it’s OK. I think everybody knows why I didn’t win or why I didn’t get any votes.”
Think his reaction would have been any different if the players came to such a conclusion? Please.
Onto other news from around the league:
MarShon Brooks wants more of a chance to play against the Chicago Bulls, from Roderick Boone of Newsday: “Two games into the Nets’ Eastern Conference first-round playoff matchup with the Bulls, he’s still not quite certain what that postseason scent actually smells like. Although Brooks has played in both games, his stint in the opener came when the outcome was clearly decided, and he got a quick hook after a brief 1:38 of fourth-quarter duty in Game 2 Monday. He’s been mostly out of the rotation down the stretch of the season, biding his time until interim coach P.J. Carlesimo signals for him. Carlesimo suggested yesterday he may expand his tightened rotation depending on certain matchups and Brooks would welcome the opportunity to contribute. “If I get the chance, yeah, I feel like I can help a little bit,” he said. “But the situation I’m in, I’m just going to wait my turn, and just try to wait patiently and be ready.”
- Lindsey Hunter appears to be interested in the Detroit Pistons’ head coaching job, from Pistons host Matt Dery: