Smart checks a lot of the boxes Bridges does as a defender, while using a lower center of gravity and more strength. So much so that the league went out of its way to have the last guard to win the DPOY award ( Gary Payton Sr.) tell the award winner for the 2021-22 season ( Boston . Thethree finalists for each awardwere announced on Sunday, but SI Fastbreak has collected data from NBA media members around the country covering both the league at-large and individual teams. Gobert averages a career-best and NBA-leading 14.8 rebounds per game. Balloting started to favor blocked shots, rebounds and intangibles such as altered or discouraged field-goal attempts. 1983-84 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks Greg Willard Spirit Award; NCAA Season Awards. Denver's big man narrowly edges Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo in what will likely end up as one of the closest MVP races in history. 2 in the latest ranking as Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. also joins the group. Justin Quinn. Jaren Jackson Jr. - Memphis Grizzlies (16 votes) Through the years, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award has always seemed to be one of the most unpredictable award races. 20 different NBA media members from around the country participated in a mock voting process conducted by SI Fastbreak for this years NBA awards. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP. On the team with the No. Previous NBA DPOY Power Ranking - 1st (1). Presenting your 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year finalists: Taylor JenkinsErik SpoelstraMonty Williams #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/2sCGpbZvQP. SLAM 500 Greatest NBA Players of All Time; Bill Simmons Hall of Fame Pyramid; ABA All-Time Team; NBA & ABA All-Star Game. November 13: Giannis (+295) is now the 2023 NBA DPOY betting favorite with Gobert fading to +538. Smart is also the second player to win the award with the @celtics, joining Kevin Garnett (2007-08). The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. Arguably the best player in the league right now, Antetokounmpo excels on both . Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. [3] Rudy Gobert and Dwight Howard have won the award three times,[4] with Howard having won it in three consecutive seasons. Check out every NBA All-Defensive honoree since 1969. If enough voters agree, Bridges will become the smallest player (6-foot-6, 209 pounds) to be named DPOY since Seattle guard Gary Payton (6-foot-4, 180) 26 years ago. The Memphis forward sustained the apparent lower leg injury in the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies' 113-97 loss in Denver on Friday. Robertson in 1986, Mutombo (1995), Tyson Chandler (2012), and Marc Gasol (2013) were instead named to the second team. Those two players finished quite close in voting. Whereas the Defensive Player of the Year is voted on by the media, the All-Defensive teams were voted on by NBA coaches prior to 2014.[14][15]. Lopez is averaging just shy of three blocks per game and only fouling opponents just over two times per game. 2009-10 Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic 2022-23 Claxton 2022-23 Antetokounmpo 2022-23 Allen 2022-23 Embiid 2022-23 Mobley 2022-23 Adebayo 2022-23 Gobert 2022-23 Lopez 2022-23 Melton 2022-23 Portis 2022-23 Jokic 2022-23 Porzingis 2022-23 Tatum 2022-23 Zubac 2022-23 Nurkic 2022-23 . 6 Brooklyn after the Nets erased a 28-point deficit to stun Boston, and saw their lead over No. In the first of what will be several days of NBA Awards ballot reveals, here is a . Claxtons 140 blocks (2.6 per game) are the most in the NBA and he leads the Nets with nine boards per game. The players at those positions with the second-highest point totals are then put on the Second Team. Play-In Tournament preview: Tuesday's games, Play-In Tournament preview: Wednesday's games, 10 takeaways from final day of regular season, Report: Grizzlies' Clarke suffers season-ending injury, Ja will be away from team for 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs, Magic's Isaac (torn adductor) out for rest of season. MIAMI Heres just some of the things Julius Randle did in the final seconds Friday night: He lost the ball, fell to the floor, sent New York coach Tom Thibodeau sprawling and collided with a security guard. The voting results for the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award are below. Deposit method, withdrawal restrictions and full T&Cs apply. After Marcus Smart upended the NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds last season, a different story is unfolding for 2022-23, with Smart's price to win Defensive . Oh, and he hit a game-winner as the red-hot Knicks found a way again. As far as stellar defenders such as Draymond Green and Bam Adebayo, they werent on the floor enough to justify a vote for this or any annual award. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Gobert ranked second in the NBA for total blocks (137), fifth in block percentage (5.7%) and third in blocks per game (2.1). 5 New York, fell 2 1/2 games behind No. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: Gobert finishes at No. Morrow reportedly had been in a relationship with the victim. If you did that play 100 times 99 times out of that, its going to end up in our favor, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. 1984-85 Mark Eaton, Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert . Bridges did it all without drawing cheap whistles he averaged only 1.8 fouls. January 18, 2022 5:27 PM. Below are the voting totals and voter ballots for annual awards for the 2021-22 NBA regular season, as selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. The guards, forwards and center with the most points are placed on the First Team. After being traded from the Utah Jazz to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he is sure to want to put in a strong debut season. [9] Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only winners to have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their careers;[10] Jordan, Olajuwon and Antetokounmpo won both awards in the same season. A run of big men such as David Robinson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Dikembe Mutombo transformed how a lot of people, including voters, looked at the award. Milwaukee's star leads the way in the latest ranking of top defenders in the NBA, but could Draymond Green make up ground? Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds Tracker, 2023 NBA Championship Odds: Track All 30 Teams Odds to Win NBA Finals, 2023 NBA Eastern and Western Conference Odds Tracker, 2022-23 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Odds Tracker, 2022-23 NBA Most Improved Player Odds Tracker. That makes him eligible to be on the Nets playoff roster. Lopez anchors Milwaukees stout defense, which is one of two units that rank ahead of the Grizzlies by defensive rating. Previous NBA DPOY Power Ranking - N/A. Randle was 16 of 25 from the floor, including 8 of 13 from 3-point range. Payton was at the Celtics' practice facility to deliver the award to Smart. There's still value in a good defensive stalwart, even in today's high-scoring NBA. NEW YORK Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been named . Brett Siegel joined Fastbreak on FanNation as a credentialed NBA journalist in April 2022 after previously covering the NBA for NBA Analysis Network and working with Louisville Basketball, aiding in daily operations, scouting and recruiting. Nic Claxton has had a fantastic season and starts for them, but behind him they lean on second-year player Day'Ron Sharpe. Evan Mobley +3300. Antetokounmpos advanced defensive stats are essentially all in the top 10: Defensive rating, defensive win shares, you name it. He is as long as the game's biggest bigs, yet able to cover ground laterally and, with that triple-jump stride, longitudinally with the swiftest of the little guys. 1994-95 Dikembe Mutombo, Denver Nuggets The anchor of Milwaukee's defense moves past Memphis center Jaren Jackson Jr. for the top spot. Earlier this season, the Boston Celtics found themselves with two realistic candidates for the NBA's 2022 Defensive Player of the Year ( DPOY) award: veteran point guard Marcus Smart and rising big man Robert Williams III. Noel is in his ninth NBA season out of Kentucky, he brings a strong defensive impact to the floor but his lack of an offensive game makes him difficult to play outside of specific matchups and lineups. NBA defensive rating with a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 team games leaders this season. He leads all players in defensive rating, ranks third in defensive box plus/minus and his 10.8 block percentage is tops in the NBA by a considerable margin. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Suns Land Kevin Durant From Nets in Blockbuster Trade, the Grizzlies defensive rating is 109.8, a top-three mark, Memphis ranked dead last in defensive rating across seven games played in October, 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds. 2001-02 Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons Hes already played in 53 this year, so availability shouldnt count against him this season when ballots are submitted. The Warriors' versatile forward holds the top spot in this month's ranking of the NBA's best defenders. All-Defensive Teams 2022: Full list of players for First and Second Teams, TSN's Stephen Noh breaks down his unofficial All-NBA ballot. Jokic has won the NBA's MVP award for a second consecutive year after averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game for a Nuggets team that won 48 games. Take a look back at every Kia Rookie of the Year award winner in NBA history. Phoenix's Mikal Bridges climbs to No. Six players received at least five first-place votes the first time that has happened for a major individual award in nearly a decade. April 18, 2022 8:32 pm ET. Giannis Antetokounmpo. An eight-year NBA . Take a look back at every Kia NBA MVP award winner in league history. 10 pick in 2018. [13] On four occasions, the Defensive Player of the Year recipient was not voted to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in the same year. The former Defensive Player of the Year won five NBA championships with the . He's been a stalwart for coach Jacque Vaughn, proving that all he needed to thrive and prove his worth was more playing time. Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart of Boston and runner-up Mikal Bridges of Phoenix received the most voting points in balloting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team. This season, Smart averaged 12.1 points, a career-high 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game. Behind Smart, the Celtics led the NBA in defensive rating (106.2) and points allowed per game (104.5) and held opponents to the lowest field goal percentage (43.4) and three-point field goal percentage (33.9). June 9, 2021 6:06 PM. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/3xmhMluois. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: Green still No. The Suns lockdown defender finishes the season on top of the Defensive Player Ladder. He transitioned to a full-time starter in his fourth season in the league and his defensive averages have improved accordingly. Anthony Morrow a nine-year NBA player last seen in the league in 2017 was arrested last month in his hometown of Charlotte on charges of assault and kidnapping tied to a domestic violence incident. Giannis Antetokounmpo +2500. Nic Claxton. His hustle was contagious throughout the team. According to Head of Trading at PointsBet, Jay Croucher, Jackson was listed at 16-1 just five . Fred VanVleet had 28 points and 10 assists for the Raptors, who began their season-high, seven-game road trip 1-1. BETTING ON THE NBA DPOY. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. The NBA announced on Monday that its annual Defensive Player of the Year award has been renamed The Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy in honor of the Hall of Famer and former Houston Rockets center. Mar 3, 2023. Doni's 2022-23 stats: 33.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game on .506/.349/.731 shooting splits. Though bigs tend to make larger defensive impacts, some voters longed for another perimeter player to claim the award. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Brook Lopez is one of the favorites to win Defensive Player of the Year, and it makes sense why that is the case. Last 5 Playoff QBs for Each NFL Team. Rather, its to deny the ball entirely to his man, eat up the shot clock, and force a pass or a hurried, inferior shot, all without fouling. He won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year . The way the game is changing, the guards are being more recognized for their abilities to do certain things that we shouldnt be able to do at our size. Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. Check out your 2021-22 #KiaMVP finalists, Giannis AntetokounmpoNikola Jokic Joel Embiid#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/xxigK4RJBc. April 19, 2022 12:29 pm ET. Sports. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: JJJ leads the way, Defensive Player Ladder: Lopez becomes new No. Smart gets the trophy, and nobody can take that from him. It took904 days for Isaac to get back on the court again this season. More https://t.co/VpKETU9caP Really blown away tbh When there has not been a guard named to the award in 26 years, one winning the NBA's 2022 Kia Defensive Player of the Year award is kind of a big deal. Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert finished in third place with 136 points (12 first-place votes). Jaren Jackson Jr. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds. 8 Atlanta trimmed to a half-game after the Hawks beat Portland. For those voting, selecting the All-Defensive Teams this season was a hard choice. The Defensive Player of the Year . Hes smart and physical, capable of digging into opponents on the ball and creating chaos off the ball often on the same possession. Up until the 2014-15 season, the league's head coaches decided on the All-Defensive Teams before it was opened up to media members from around the world. Suns/Grizzlies8:00 PM ET, NBA TV pic.twitter.com/0bR5k8FvFl. Bridges, much to the chagrin of his opponents, always shows up. Modified Nov 08, 2022 11:44 GMT. Looking at the media polling above, the Top-4 in voting points was exactly the same as the real results for the award, but fifth-place above went to Giannis Antetokounmpo, where in the actual voting it went to Jaren Jackson Jr. He also set a career high in defensive rebounds per game (3.2). At just 37%, Smart has the lowest share of first-place votes by the winner of one of the NBA's five major player awards since 2015. Against the likes of Steph Curry, Luka Doncic, James Harden, LeBron James, DeMar DeRozan and so on. J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award. Trending Topics: Who will prevail in Play-In Tournament? Six different players received at least one first-place vote in SI Fastbreak's polling and while Marcus Smart came out on top, this was a really hard award to decipher simply because of the impact all of these players have on defense. The amount of times a big has won over a guard is just crazy, Bridges told Yahoo Sports recently. Which is why this is such a hard-luck story. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. With 6'11 tall and 215lb weight, he has great defensive potential. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. This marks the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for Smart, who becomes the first guard to earn the honor since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Sky Sports 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year predictions and picks kicks off, taking a look at big names like Jaren Jackson Jr, Evan Mobley and Brook Lopez and notable mentions ahead of the . 2002-03 Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons Unfortunately that lasted all of 11 games before he tore his left adductor muscle, which will require surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the season, the team announced. Western Conference Finals MVP. Rookie of the Year. Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. The Boston Celtics were one of the top defensive teams during the regular season this year and as a result, it makes sense that their best defender in Marcus Smart would be named this years recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year award. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. But Miami got back into the game after halftime, chipping away and eventually got the lead 107-106, on a 3-pointer by Martin with 5:45 left. A starter in all 71 of his games played in the 2021-22 regular season, the 6-foot-4 Smart ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119). The Warriors' veteran forward leads the first ranking of the top defenders in the NBA this season, but Myles Turner looms large. 1 by the end. So much of this award from the campaigning to even interpreting the voting results is about framing. . Friday night in Miami.. . Finalists announced for 2021-22 NBA awards. Hes the heart and soul of Miamis fifth-ranked defense and is third among all players in defensive win shares behind Clevelands Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, who rank first and second, respectively. 1991-92 David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Voting) MP - 30.1, RPG - 14.3, BPG - 2.0, SPG - 0.7, DWS - 3.3, DBPM - -0.2. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Finalists announced for 2021-22 NBA awards, Defensive Player Ladder: Bridges finishes No. Winner: Jaren Jackson Jr. (11) According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won it in 2020, rounds out the top five contenders, though hes a distant fifth at +2500. The Grizzlies big man has played in 39 of 56 games, the fewest among the favorites to win the award. The @nyknicks have won 8 straight pic.twitter.com/SlZvM1mZSL, A lot of energy, Randle said. That trio will be crucial to . The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 4, 2023. On January 27, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Watch List for the 2021-22 men's college basketball season. Previous NBA DPOY Power Ranking - N/A. TNT will announce the winner of each award during its coverage of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The arrest took place on Feb. 10 his Morrows hometown of Charlotte, he was released two days later after posting $15,000 bail. Anunoby on both ends of the floor is one of the main reasons that Toronto has not careened off the side of the proverbial highway without No. And his offensive development career highs of 14.2 points on 10.5 shots meant he wasnt letting his man rest on the other end. it gets ugly.. On a Phoenix team that ranked third in defensive rating (106.8) and first in net rating (7.5), none of his teammates played more than 68 games. He also ranks sixth in defensive win shares and eighth in defensive rating. Complete ballots for each voter will be posted at PR.NBA.com after the announcement of all end-of-season awards. Predicting the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Marcus Smart is the first guard to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA. Smart is also the second player to win the award with the @celtics , joining . [5] Sidney Moncrief, Mark Eaton, Dennis Rodman, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning and Kawhi Leonard have each won it twice. Yet, Smart is the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. 43 in the lineup. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. December 12: Brook Lopez (+102) has taken over as the 2023 DPOY betting favorite with Anunoby (+500) a distant second. 2014-15 Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs 80,533. His shot was good, and the celebration was on. Most Improved Player. The Greek Freak has always been known as an elite defensive player. There have been plenty of fascinating storylines throughout the season. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. The Jazz's Rudy Gobert, who has won three of the last five Defensive Player of the Year awards, was also a finalist again this year. NEW YORK - The NBA today announced the finalists for six awards that honor top performers for the 2021-22 regular season: NBA Coach of the Year, Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Kia NBA . An eight-year NBA veteran, Smart has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team twice (2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons). Last year, Adebayos case was marred by the fact that he played just 56 games and he finished fourth in voting. Heres full 2022 DPOY voting with first-, second- and third-place votes and total voting points: At just 37%, Smart has the lowest share of first-place votes by the winner of one of the NBAs five major player awards since 2015. 1997-98 Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta Hawks Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart of Boston and runner-up Mikal Bridges of Phoenix received the most voting points in balloting for the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team. Brook Lopez +500. Marcus Smart is the first guard to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets 2016-17 Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (Voting) That drains energy from that opponents offense. 1985-86 Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs The Celtics eke out a crucial victory with a team effort, offsetting a star turn by Kyrie Irving in his playoff return to Boston, where he once played. The play of O.G. Through Dec. 31, the Celtics ranked ninth defensively, before they climbed to No. 1989-90 Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons Our thoughts are with Jonathan, whose fortitude in dealing with adversity is unique, Orlando Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. Smart did about as much as a guard can do including frequently switching and defending near the rim, the courts prime real estate. There are betting favorites because everything has odds, but handicapping Defensive Player of the Year only confirms how unpredictable it really is. However, in the bubble Isaac tore his ACL. Marcus Smart collected 37 of the total 100 real votes for Defensive Player of the Year this season and compiled 257 total points, compared to MIkal Bridges with 202 possible points in second-place. Tyler Herro had a steal and layup to put Miami up by one with 23.1 seconds remaining. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. While Marcus Smart was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year on Monday . From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. He also has a defensive win share rating of 0.137 (Top 25 in the league) #1. 1998-99 Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat Tyler Herro steals it and scores for the lead, and Julius Randle follows with a cold-blooded game winner! Over the last few weeks, the NBA awards have been a hot topic of discussion around the NBA world. A look at the 2021-22 #KiaSixth finalists: Tyler Herro Cam Johnson Kevin Love#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/tfAFeB2FaK. Isaac played in the bubble in 2020 after missing much of that pandemic-ravaged season due to a knee injury. This marks the first NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for Smart, who becomes the first guard to earn the honor since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. By Kurt Helin Oct 13, 2021, 1:03 PM EDT. Prior to this year, Rudy Gobert was named DPOY in three of the last four . Neither played in 58 games, which represents 70 percent of the 82-game regular season schedule, which the NBA uses as its threshold for crowning statistical champions scoring and rebounding titles, for example. 2005-06 Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons He probably won't end up being an All-Star this year, but it looks like he's going to have plenty of chances to make it in the future. Butler scored 33 points and Herro scored 29 for Miami, which got 18 from Bam Adebayo and 14 from Caleb Martin. 3. He had 19 games with three or more steals, including two games with a season-high five steals. April 18, 2022 7:34 pm ET. 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds. The frontrunner for the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award is three-time winner Rudy Gobert. Taking a look at the numbers behind Nikola Jokic's historic season for the Nuggets. Jaren Jackson Jr. -200Brook Lopez +700Nicolas Claxton +700Bam Adebayo +700Giannis Antetokounmpo +2500Evan Mobley +3300Jarrett Allen +4000Joel Embiid +4000OG Anunoby +4000. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. And Bostons defense, like its season, was split into two parts. So it seems perfectly reasonable as a cutoff for its major honors. 2007-08 Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics Here is the complete list of selections for the All-NBA Defensive First and Second Teams. He proved that in 2019-20 when he earned his first DPOY trophy, he proved it last season in coming up with . But the narrative began to shift decidedly in favor of one soon after the other came out in . Matisse Thybulle has been an outside contender for the NBA-Defensive-Player-of-the-Year . NBA History - 2022 Awards. I love you. Nearly two-thirds of Defensive Player of the Year voters thought Celtics guard Marcus Smart didnt deserve the award. After a wild final day of the season, a clear picture of the playoffs and Play-In Tournament emerges while several players make the most of their opportunities. At the Grizzlies, Melton performed well as the second defensive option behind Desmond Bane. NBA.com's writers predict who will prevail in the Play-In Tournament and emerge with the No. The Heat also gave up 71 points by the break on Wednesday in a loss to Philadelphia; its the first time in the teams 35-year history that Miami allowed at least 71 points in consecutive first halves. NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winners. Theyve both helped the Cavaliers improve from the No. He does it with agility, he does it with effort, he does it with wingspan and he does it better than any of his defensive-minded peers for the 2021-22 season. Defensive Player of the Year pick. That made Gobert who won Defensive Player of the Year three of the last four years an especially stale candidate (but still my pick). . A year-by-year list of theKia Defensive Player of the Year Awardwinners: 2021-22 Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics (Voting), 2020-21 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting), 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Voting), 2018-19 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting), 2017-18 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting), 2016-17 Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (Voting), 2015-16 Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (Voting), 2014-15 Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs, 2011-12 Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks, 2000-01 Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76ers, 1995-96 Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics, 1994-95 Dikembe Mutombo, Denver Nuggets, 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 1992-93 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 1991-92 David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs, 1986-87 Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers, 1985-86 Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs, 1983-84 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks, 1982-83 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks.