While the NBA won’t announce this year’s award winners until June, we’re making our picks for 2019’s major awards now.
The Hoops Rumors writing team has weighed in with our choices below, but we also want to know which players, coaches, and executives you think are most deserving of the hardware this season, so jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts.
We’re keeping things going today with the award for Defensive Player of the Year. Here are our selections:
Arthur Hill: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
Utah’s defensive identity is built around Gobert, who once again ranked among the league’s best shot blockers at 2.3 per game. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award last season despite playing just 56 games, but this year he was on the court virtually every night, acting as an intimidating rim protector who allows Utah’s perimeter defenders to stay at home on 3-point shooters. The Jazz have become one of the league’s best defensive teams, and it all starts with Gobert.
Chris Crouse: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
Gobert continues to impress on the defensive end year after year and the 2018/19 season was no exception. He anchored the Western Conference’s best defense, invoking fear into opposing play-makers and swatting away 2.3 shot attempts per game. He finished in the top five in defensive win shares and defensive rating, and no player had a better defensive box plus/minus than Utah’s center.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paul George and Joel Embiid should all be considered for the award — it’s fair to wonder how many awards Embiid would have this year if he had played closer to 82 games. Gobert isn’t head-and-shoulders above any of these candidates, but he gets the nod for his body of work this year.
JD Shaw: Kawhi Leonard (Raptors)
To me, he’s still the best defender in basketball today. It’s that simple. He’s able to guard multiple positions for extended periods of time, has great length, anticipation, athleticism, and large hands to disrupt the top offensive threats on each team every night. Despite sitting some games earlier in the season, he was able to do just that with Toronto.
Dana Gauruder: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
Gobert posted a career-high 24.6 PER, according to ESPN’s rankings, and a league-high 5.1 Defensive Box Plus/Minus rating, according to Basketball-Reference. Utah’s defense revolves around Gobert’s ability to protect the rim and switch onto a variety of players. The Jazz also gave up the second-fewest 3-point makes in the league because their perimeter players can stick close to shooters while Gobert patrols the lane.
Luke Adams: Rudy Gobert (Jazz)
In a tight race that featured at least three or four viable Defensive Player of the Year candidates, Gobert gets the edge as much for his quantity of play as his quality of play. What does that mean? In addition to appearing in 17 more games than fellow rim protector Embiid, Gobert was asked to take on greater defensive responsibilities than players like Antetokounmpo and George.
As ESPN’s Zach Lowe detailed earlier this month, the Jazz surrendered the fifth-lowest share of shots at the basket, thanks in large part to Gobert, who still managed to challenge approximately 27 shots per 100 possessions, per Second Spectrum’s data — Antetokounmpo and George challenged about 15.5 apiece. While the other candidates had terrific years, Gobert’s impact on the defensive end was – in my view – more substantial.
Who is your pick for Defensive Player of the Year? Share your choices and your thoughts in the comment section below!
Previously:
- Executive of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Sixth Man of the Year
- Most Improved Player
- Rookie of the Year
Still to come:
- Most Valuable Player
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
A couple on the panel said Utah’ strategy is to use Gobert’s solo lane control to focus on tightening the perimeter. Another strategy is to funnel drivers to the shotblocker and general traffic. Philly seems to be doing that, often leaving perimeter shooters open. I like the Net’s response, which looks like double-barrelled drives down the middle with the driver dropping the ball off to the other driver which may or may not be the screener & dunker Jarrett Allen. But again, players are not making their shots from it.
As for Gobert, if it looks like just pushing through last year’s winner and preseason favorite, this year he was a bit better, if only for the minutes played, 80 games at 32 mpg. Although, winning it last year with 56 played gives hope to Embiid & Leonard.
This year Gobert had a big rise in shooting fouls both drawn and committed.
Embiid, Giannis & AD… should be one of this 3!
I don’t know why Myles Turner doesn’t get any love. Not one mention.
Marcus smart
lol that Kawhi write-up looks like it was done five minutes before the assignment was due