Duncan DPOY?

[Nolan]

Is it finally time for one of the greatest defenders of all time to win his his first DPOY? He's been a beast all season long blocking shots at an unreal rate for a 36 year old, clearing the glass and locking down the paint.

Ibaka and Hibbert are the other two contenders for DPOY and i'm sure Howard will get a few reputation votes as well. Larry Sanders might also be a darkhorse candidate because of his shot blocking numbers, but the reality is he's a horrid man to man defender.

So what do you guys think? Does Duncan has legit shot at DPOY this year?

[mitrandil20]

I really hope so, they should give it to him just for the ones he didn't receive, but he actually deserves it more than the others.

[Donald Kaufman]

Duncan should have at least 1 DPOY award already. This year would feel more like a lifetime achievement award than anything. I think Noah has a real good chance of getting it this year.

[Nolan]

Duncan should have at least 1 DPOY award already. This year would feel more like a lifetime achievement award than anything. I think Noah has a real good chance of getting it this year.

Noah's got a shot as well. The funny thing about this years DPOY race is that there's no clear front runner at the moment.

[RyanStorm]

I would have to say Duncan's defense rating is off the hook, and going to help him get it.

If he gets #1 in West, I could totally see him getting it. What is this, his like 15th or 16th year. He is probably the current "best" big man, in terms of his playing this year combined with his history. I don't get why everyone likes Dwight Howard, I mean how does he get x3 DPOY, and Duncan has x0. While Duncan has 4 rings, and 2 MVP's with 3 Finals MVP's.

It just blows my mind that "less" popular guys aren't given what they deserve.

[crimsonkb24]

Yes pls, he deserves one

[UDRIH14]

i dont want him to win this year award, doesnt feel right...it be like a life achievement award for him, i would rather he go out and earn it, then some clowns feel like they owe him one they going to give him one....

[Black_Jack21]

I know what you mean but I think he has earned it and got nothing cos Ben Wallace was the 'feel good, come from nothing, blue collar worker' story and Duncan could do all that and average over 20 points so didn't get the accolades of a defensive specialist.

Duncan is/was a better defender than anyone who has won it in the last decade.
I would rather he got it on his own merit for that season. But in 10 or 20 years people need to look back through TDs trophy case and see a DPOY and if it happens to be a career appreciation award then so be it.

[co_laper]

Well, not sure I'll agree with this.

I mean, Duncan has always been one of the league's best defensive player, but I kinda feel that he was never really the BEST at it at any particular year. It's Duncan's consistency that is amazing, but as a player, he never really peaked as the best at anything. He was always a player who could do it all at a high level.

I'm looking at the winners and I don't feel like Duncan was having a better season defensively than any of them. there are perhaps years where Duncan could challange for that DPOY award, but not where he's clearly better and he got robbed.

[Black_Jack21]

Fair enough. In his prime I considered him a better defender than Ben Wallace or Dwight Howard.

I think that Wallace won it primarily because he defended and nothing else. He was very good at it, but my feeling has always been that Timmy got overlooked for being a more complete player and his defensive prowess got lost behind that 20+ ppg output somewhat.

He wasn't totally robbed. All defensive team every year for over a decade is nothing to turn your nose up at.
However 2004 and 05 i really think he deserved it.
First 2 seasons without Robinson and the spurs are still deadly defensively.