It's like saying Birdman is an elite defender, just cause he swats shots into the stands.
Most NBA awards are a farce, but the DPOY award might just be the most poorly awarded one of them all.
Dwyer: Top 10 Defenders of the Last Decade (Duncan #4)
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Re: Dwyer: Top 10 Defenders of the Last Decade (Duncan #4)
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Donald Kaufman
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Re: Dwyer: Top 10 Defenders of the Last Decade (Duncan #4)
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co_laper
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Re: Dwyer: Top 10 Defenders of the Last Decade (Duncan #4)
well Defenders has a wide criteria. In Camby's case, he's not a great man to man defender but he's not that bad either. And when you talk about help defense and rebounding, there's no arguing that Camby was one of the league's best. It's not like Camby's one of those guys who just look to stuff his shotblocking stats by jumping on every shot attempt. He'd be in foul troubles.
Now, I still say that Camby didn't deserve to win it that year simply because his team wasn't one of the league's best defensive teams. But to say that Camby isn't one of the league's best defensive players is a joke.
Hell, Shaq maybe is a better man to man defender than Camby, but that doesn't make him the better defensive player.
If we judge defensive players simply by their ability to be a shutdown man-to-man defensive player, the last 10 years will be filled by Bruce Bowen and Ron Artest.
Even Ben Wallace wasn't his own team's best man-to-man defensive player. Rasheed Wallace was. But Ben won it for his shotblocking, rebounding, and help defense. If you remember, those are still defensive skills.
Now, I still say that Camby didn't deserve to win it that year simply because his team wasn't one of the league's best defensive teams. But to say that Camby isn't one of the league's best defensive players is a joke.
Hell, Shaq maybe is a better man to man defender than Camby, but that doesn't make him the better defensive player.
If we judge defensive players simply by their ability to be a shutdown man-to-man defensive player, the last 10 years will be filled by Bruce Bowen and Ron Artest.
Even Ben Wallace wasn't his own team's best man-to-man defensive player. Rasheed Wallace was. But Ben won it for his shotblocking, rebounding, and help defense. If you remember, those are still defensive skills.