The NBA awards usually have some very clear favorites by this time in the regular season. However, that’s not the case this season, with several players still very much in the running for various awards at this stage of the season. There are multiple candidates for MVP as well as Rookie Of The Year, but perhaps no award has as many legitimate contenders as the Defensive Player Of The Year award.
The big men in Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert, and Giannis Antetokounmpo all have their cases but players like Mikal Bridges and Marcus Smart have also established themselves. Picking even 3 players as the best defenders in the NBA today is extremely difficult, as fan responses to the question on Twitter prove.
Pick the 3 best defenders here pic.twitter.com/111YHH5wYG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 26, 2022
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Robert Williams have been exceptional in their own ways and even though he has missed a significant chunk of the season, Draymond Green thinks he can still win DPOY. Fans have given so many varied responses that it’s hard to conclude after taking a look at them.
“Bridges, Greek Freak, Marcus Smart.”
“Bridges because he can guard the 1 through 4, Bam because he is a big boy that will defend the 3 point line (if needed) and Giannis is Giannis.”
“This is tough, but I gotta say Bam, Time Lord & Smart.”
“There are 3 DPOYs in here.”
“Smart, Timelord, and it’s a tie between Jaren Jackson Jr./Mikal Bridges.”
“This is tough but i’m gonna have to say Giannis, Embiid, & Draymond.”
“If different postion then Giannis, Draymond, Smart but overall Giannis, Gobert, Draymond.”
“Herb Jones is a better defender than anyone in this picture.”
“Where is Dorian Finney-Smith?”
“JJJ is the best and it’s not close.”
“Draymond, Marcus Smart, and Embiid.”
The varied reactions are an excellent example of how divided the fanbases are and even the media has struggled to name any clear frontrunners for the award. The way defense is played in the modern game it’s hard to pinpoint the best across positions in situations like these and it will be interesting to see who eventually takes home Defensive Player of the Year.
