Centers have dominated the NBA’s list of Defensive Player of the Year winners over the years, but Suns head coach Monty Williams and star guard Devin Booker believe forward Mikal Bridges has been the best defensive player in the league this season, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (Twitter links).
“He should be the Defensive Player of the Year, number one,” Williams said, noting that Bridges has taken on the toughest defensive assignments for the Suns while playing heavy minutes (35.3 MPG without missing a game).
Rudy Gobert is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate, but voter fatigue could work against the Jazz center, who has won the award in three of the last four seasons. Currently, Heat big man Bam Adebayo is considered the betting favorite by BetOnline.ag and Bovada.lv, with Bridges lurking among the top challengers.
Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific:
- Reports have indicated that the Warriors are optimistic Stephen Curry will return from his foot injury by the time the playoffs begin next month, and Curry confirmed on Sunday that’s the plan. “Yeah, we’ve got enough time for that … but I’m an optimist,” Curry told reporters, including Joe Stiglich of The Associated Press. Curry added that he didn’t view the Marcus Smart dive that caused his injury as “malicious or dirty.”
- Warriors guard Gary Payton II, who initially hoped to return on Sunday from a left knee injury, remained sidelined for that game, but is no longer listed on the injury report and will play on Tuesday in Orlando, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Payton has missed the team’s last eight games.
- Although it has been a disappointing season overall for the Lakers, LeBron James was in good spirits after leading the club to a 131-120 over his old team in Cleveland on Monday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’m literally having the time of my life right now,” James said after the game. “… Because I couldn’t care less what the narrative about our team is. At my point in my career, I don’t get involved in that stuff. I don’t read about it, I don’t hear it too much. … None of that stuff matters to me, I’m having a blast playing the game of basketball.”
- The Lakers, who won in Toronto on Friday and Cleveland on Monday, appear to finally be gaining some confidence, according to Bill Oram of The Athletic, who explores whether fans should have any faith in L.A. to make some noise in the play-in tournament and the playoffs.
Translation LeBron is going for stats and could care less about the playoffs. He knows the Lakers will not get out of the play in without a miracle so might as well go all out and put up the stats. Playing over 40 minutes every night lately shows he doesn’t care if he gets burned out for the playoffs.
He is playing really good, of course on defense is not the same player, but its a elite offensive player at his age. If he is not getting the points he is getting how are the Lakers suppose to score? they are terrible… he is scoring at a high rate with high efficency with almost g-leaguers around him with little floor spacing. Sadly he must play this way and play 40 mpg, still it will not be enough to reach de playoffs.
Says all you need to know about LeBron. Can you imagine Magic, Kareem, West, Kobe, Baylor, Goodrich, Worthy or Cooper saying anything like that? LeBron waaaaaay down the list of Laker greats.
Lakers front office preLebron: Hey guys, let’s sign LeBron! It’ll be great, because he won’t care about who we get to build a team around him. In fact, he’ll just want to have the time of his life. We’ll probably stink it up, but at least James can have the time of his life.
GM BRON BRON. I built this team and now we all know it SUCKS I do t care it’s all about BRON BRON the ego maniac
Lakers front office pre Lebron: lets sign Mozgov to a multi year contract around 16M per year. Lets sign L. Deng to a multi year contract around 17M per year. lets draft Lonzo Ball over J. Tatum.
You are 100% correct correct
They actually had a pretty damn good draft. Lonzo is a really good player. They traded tony Bradley for Josh Hart and Thomas Bryant. Also got Kuzma. 3 starters in one draft is awesome.
Ball, Hart, Kuzma all look like above average regulars this year signed for like 50 mil collectively next year. If the Lakers didn’t trade for davis it would be those 3 and room for 2 max contracts.
Y’all are seriously going to do a DPOY prediction post and not one word about the guy who is going to win it, GIANNIS.
Well said LBJ… at this point of your career is all about the fun, just enjoy what is left!
Only losers are desperate to win, as they never have done it!
But it ain’t making any difference to win 3, 4, 5 or 6 rings, once you win multiple rings is totally irrelevant!
At the end of the day a sports career is all about the money & the fun, winning ain’t paying the bills, only fans care about it, professionals players shouldn’t at all, their job is to get paid!