Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Wow. I actually don't remember this. KD probably has one of the hardest shots to block straight up. You should be cemented for this, lol I remember the first time I saw Jordan's fade away blocked and I almost fell out of my chair. I think I saw Dirk's shot get blocked this year too...

[23]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Wow. I actually don't remember this. KD probably has one of the hardest shots to block straight up. You should be cemented for this, lol I remember the first time I saw Jordan's fade away blocked and I almost fell out of my chair. I think I saw Dirk's shot get blocked this year too...

He blocked KD twice that game. Also got Melo twice shortly after and someone else i can't recall at the moment.

These were games at the beginning of the year ao check out their very first matchups

[J_Posse]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Easy now, Leonard's defense is good for sure, but he can't keep up with the super quick guys. Best of all time on the wing? Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Sidney Moncrief, T.R. Dunn, Michael Cooper, Dennis Rodman, and Bobby Jones are my picks.

Never said "best of all-time," friend. I said he's already one of the all-time great perimeter defenders.

He is also at a huge disadvantage playing perimeter defense in the modern era. All the rules are geared toward aiding quicker, smaller perimeter based players to score making it more impressive what a Kawhi Leonard, Tony Allen or Avery Bradley is capable of doing.

All the advanced metrics point to the fact that Kawhi is the elite of the elite when defending on the perimeter, today. I can't speak to most of those older players, but let's just say you have a clear and inherent bias towards the past.

Everyone is in agreement that the award has been given to undeserving players in the past, but that has no bearing on Kawhi and his great play on defense.

from Spurs Nation/Bills Backer HQ

[bakan723]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Anybody can get blocked if you time it perfectly....get them on the way up, ect..

and lol 'advanced metrics'

[AlexBrady]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

I can't agree with your lofty placement of Leonard. Too premature. I know how I score a game on my charts and I have Leonard's defense rated as 'good'.

The old guys still scored higher on the charts for me. Even without hand-checking and bumping cutters they would still come out ahead.

Kawhi Leonard is my favorite player in today's game. I call em like I see em.

[J_Posse]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Anybody can get blocked if you time it perfectly....get them on the way up, ect..

and lol 'advanced metrics'

Please, give use your informed opinion on why he doesn't deserve it?

Best defender on a historiclly great defense that presence is felt through analytics and the vaunted "eye ball test."

LMAO

24th, I'm appalled that you might suggest that Kawhi doesn't deserve some love for MVP. Curry had a historical great season and so did his team, but Leonard his the best two-way player in the NBA and was the clear, cut best player on a great Spurs team.

from Spurs Nation/Bills Backer HQ

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Anybody can get blocked if you time it perfectly....get them on the way up, ect..

and lol 'advanced metrics'

Anyone can be blocked, but there's a reason a straight up block isn't something you see a lot of in the NBA....and for guys like KD who are 6'11 with a high release, damn near impossible...

[J_Posse]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Haters gonna hate, homie. Kawhi is a beast and anyone with sense knows it.........

from Spurs Nation/Bills Backer HQ

[bakan723]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Never said he wasn't a great and not deserving of the award.

Just having a laugh at the advanced metrics stuff.

[J_Posse]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

I can't agree with your lofty placement of Leonard. Too premature. I know how I score a game on my charts and I have Leonard's defense rated as 'good'.

The old guys still scored higher on the charts for me. Even without hand-checking and bumping cutters they would still come out ahead.

Kawhi Leonard is my favorite player in today's game. I call em like I see em.

Doesn't matter what you or I believe, friend. He's already there and his winning this award (again) and (eventually) getting another 1st Team All-Defense only cements that point.

He might be your current "favorite," but you clearly overrate players that you deem worthy.

Just suggesting that Robinson, Howard (at least once or twice), Garnett and Gary Payton are "undeserving" proves that, IMO.

from Spurs Nation/Bills Backer HQ

[King_B_Mack]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

AlexBrady man haha. I think Kawhi is a little more than "good" defensively no matter what group you're putting him up against.

[Hassan Darkside]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

An extensive look at the history of this award, and its undeserving recipients.

Alvin Robertson 1985-86: A gambler. Strictly looking for steals.

David Robinson 1991-92: Excellent coming to the ball from the weak-side but couldn't contain face-and-go scorers man to man.

Gary Payton 1995-96: Only played for steals. Seattle doubled the ball near the sidelines back then and GP would look to pick off the reverse pass back to the middle. Teams looked to post him and limit his operating space. Scottie Pippen, directing one of the finest defenses of all time should have been the pick.

Alonzo Mourning 98-99, 99-00: Could blow low-posters off the box with his strength but couldn't contain face and go men who came right at him. In the team defense he looked to block everything and was frequently out of position. Miami played offense at a snail's pace back then which limited the possessions.

Dikembe Mutombo 00-01- Simply wasn't the same defender at this point. Didn't have the old quickness. Philadelphia played ferocious defense here, so the voters surely figured that Mutombo was the reason why. Not true, since the key to the whole thing was the guard's extended pressure.

Ben Wallace 04-05, 05-06- Was wearing down after years of banging with the behemoths. After Detroit won the title the voters figured that Wallace must be the best but they failed to realize his slippage.

Marcus Camby 06-07- Sold out looking for blocks and was usually out of position. Once his fronting and three-quartering of the low post failed he would get crushed when playing from behind his man.

Kevin Garnett 07-08- His activity and length were helpful in defending various screen/rolls but KG got used when playing from behind in the low post. "He changed the culture" was the catch phrase used countless times that year so the voters were unduly swayed. Tom Thibodeau's coordination of physical and precise rotations were the true key to success.

Dwight Howard 08-09, 09-10, 10-11: Only played looking for blocks. In fact he blew numerous rotations and couldn't guard man to man. Lateral movement was always an issue.

Tyson Chandler 11-12: Made alert team rotations but couldn't guard man to man. Gained notoriety from Dallas' title triumph and combined with the Knicks sudden improvement was bound to impress the voters.

Marc Gasol 12-13: The product that year of an analytics movement that caught fire with the voters. In fact, he was routinely beaten in transition by his opposite number and couldn't cope with creative face and go men.

If you're not going to offer alternate picks, is this list really anything other than a chance to throw shade?

[The 24th Letter]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Hassan Whiteside is Salty

https://www.google.com/amp/nba.nbcsports.com/2016/04/18/hassan-whiteside-salty-about-finishing-third-for-defensive-player-of-the-year/amp/?client=ms-android-hms-tmobile-us#

He's not as Salty as George Mikan I'm sure though

[23]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Anybody can get blocked if you time it perfectly....get them on the way up, ect..

and lol 'advanced metrics'

Did you watch that game though? Chances are you didn't with that comment.

That was a recovery defense block at that...lol

He was on Durant's case that entire game.

[vtcha]

Re: Defensive Player of the Year: Kawhi Leonard

Hassan Whiteside is Salty

https://www.google.com/amp/nba.nbcsports.com/2016/04/18/hassan-whiteside-salty-about-finishing-third-for-defensive-player-of-the-year/amp/?client=ms-android-hms-tmobile-us#

He's not as Salty as George Mikan I'm sure though

Hope he uses this as motivation and goes HAM in the Playoffs