The MVP award has been a topic of heated discussion this season, with fans of every team weighing in on who should be the MVP this season. We’ve heard about all the names: Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry… there is no shortage of MVP candidates in the league.
While debates on the MVP award can get heated, the DPOY award doesn’t gather the same level of outrage on social media. The award isn’t as controversial, with most people agreeing that there are a few main candidates who would deserve it. Perhaps it is because defense goes often unnoticed: Draymond Green certainly thinks so. He has recently commented on the lack of controversy surrounding the DPOY award and has stated that no one actually cares about defense.
💪🏿We care, @Money23Green pic.twitter.com/ozMeDNj61X
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) May 11, 2021
Draymond Green certainly has a point: people often overlook defensive impact in order to hype up offensive players who have amazing statistics. However, as he mentions, defense is what wins championships. Obviously, you’re going to need offensive firepower in basketball. But being able to stop someone’s offense is also important, and perhaps defense should be valued more around the league. Defensive plays can lead to changes in momentum on offense, and having elite defensive players usually results in success.
A former DPOY winner himself, it is clear that Draymond Green knows how valuable the defensive end is for any team with lofty aspirations. After all, it was his defense that helped the Golden State Warriors win three championships and helped him become a multiple-time All-Star. Defense is important to win, period.
