Kelly Dwyer: KG Defensive Player of Year (so far)

[footey]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/BDL-s-Award-Tour-First-Quarter-Edition;_ylt=AhkURUCvtAV1lihqJxyx7d28vLYF?urn=nba-293310

[drza44]

He makes the case purely off of actual description of defensive role and contribution, but once you bring the numbers into it it's hard to argue.  Garnett's defense through the first 21 games of the year has been incredible.

[indeedproceed]

If Dwight Howard is MVP, how is KG DPOY?

KG is scoring near 16 and 10. If he is also playing substantially better defense, how is Dwight Howard the MVP just because he scores 5 more points and gets 2 more boards per game?

[footey]

If Dwight Howard is MVP, how is KG DPOY?

KG is scoring near 16 and 10. If he is also playing substantially better defense, how is Dwight Howard the MVP just because he scores 5 more points and gets 2 more boards per game?

just because...

[BballTim]

If Dwight Howard is MVP, how is KG DPOY?

KG is scoring near 16 and 10. If he is also playing substantially better defense, how is Dwight Howard the MVP just because he scores 5 more points and gets 2 more boards per game?

  He said better, not substantially better.

  You were just correcting an error in his assessment.

[indeedproceed]

If Dwight Howard is MVP, how is KG DPOY?

KG is scoring near 16 and 10. If he is also playing substantially better defense, how is Dwight Howard the MVP just because he scores 5 more points and gets 2 more boards per game?

  He said better, not substantially better.

  You were just correcting an error in his assessment.

Well, it should follow that the defense is substantially better..otherwise why don't Dwight's increased rebounds and 2.4 blocks (compared to KG's .7) per game tip the scales?

Dwyer was trying to please everyone, and be a little cute with his selections.

[PosImpos]

Well, an interesting question is, could Dwight Howard win MVP and DPOY?  If he's the leading MVP candidate, perhaps the thinking is that voters would give DPOY to the next candidate in line: KG.

Has anybody ever won both MVP and DPOY in the same year?

[mgent]

Well, an interesting question is, could Dwight Howard win MVP and DPOY?  If he's the leading MVP candidate, perhaps the thinking is that voters would give DPOY to the next candidate in line: KG.

Has anybody ever won both MVP and DPOY in the same year?

Hakeem no?  I think he won the finals MVP too.

[indeedproceed]

Well, an interesting question is, could Dwight Howard win MVP and DPOY?  If he's the leading MVP candidate, perhaps the thinking is that voters would give DPOY to the next candidate in line: KG.

Has anybody ever won both MVP and DPOY in the same year?

Hakeem no?  I think he won the finals MVP too.

From wiki:

"Michael Jordan,[6] David Robinson,[7] Hakeem Olajuwon,[8] and Kevin Garnett[2][9] are the only Defensive Player of the Year winners to have won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their careers; Jordan and Olajuwon won both awards in the same season.[6][8] In Olajuwon's case, he is the only one to have also won the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award and the NBA championship in the same season.[8]"

[BballTim]

Well, an interesting question is, could Dwight Howard win MVP and DPOY?  If he's the leading MVP candidate, perhaps the thinking is that voters would give DPOY to the next candidate in line: KG.

  Could he win the MVP without winning the DPOY? His offense isn't going to get him the award...

[indeedproceed]

Well, an interesting question is, could Dwight Howard win MVP and DPOY?  If he's the leading MVP candidate, perhaps the thinking is that voters would give DPOY to the next candidate in line: KG.

  Could he win the MVP without winning the DPOY? His offense isn't going to get him the award...

That is my point in a nutshell

[PosImpos]

Well, an interesting question is, could Dwight Howard win MVP and DPOY?  If he's the leading MVP candidate, perhaps the thinking is that voters would give DPOY to the next candidate in line: KG.

  Could he win the MVP without winning the DPOY? His offense isn't going to get him the award...

That is my point in a nutshell

His offense is significantly better than KG, but his defense isn't quite on the same level - but is close.

If that were the case (I'm not arguing that it necessarily is), then I could see Dwight winning MVP and KG winning DPOY.

Basically, Dwight wins MVP for being a great defensive player who also scores a lot of points for his team (a great player overall), while KG wins DPOY for being the player who makes the greatest positive impact on his team's defense.


Also, TP for looking up the stat about players who won both MVP and DPOY.  I don't think Dwight Howard is good enough to deserve getting both awards, but I think by season's end he may make the most sense for MVP (given the lack of other complete candidates outside of Miami).

[action781]

Amare is emerging as a huge dark horse in the MVP race if his team can keep up their pace (pace = 50 wins).  He has a far inferior cast around him than any other team with a record on the level of NYK.  Guess it's hard to imagine a player on a 6 seed winning MVP though...

[Michael Anthony]

Most Valuable Player = Most Valuable Player to their Team
Defensive Player of the Year = Best Defensive Player in the League

Two very different awards.

Look at the Magic roster outside of Howard, and point to the all-star defender. Nelson? Carter? Lewis! HE makes it a Top 3 defensive team in the league. That is a huge value add.

Garnett does things on defense that Howard can only read about, and is the most important cog on the BEST defense in the league.

Interestingly, if you swapped the players, both teams would be worse.

[indeedproceed]

Most Valuable Player = Most Valuable Player to their Team
Defensive Player of the Year = Best Defensive Player in the League

Two very different awards.

Look at the Magic roster outside of Howard, and point to the all-star defender. Nelson? Carter? Lewis! HE makes it a Top 3 defensive team in the league. That is a huge value add.

Garnett does things on defense that Howard can only read about, and is the most important cog on the BEST defense in the league.

Interestingly, if you swapped the players, both teams would be worse.

If everyone defined MVP like you just did, than it is completely wide open, and Dwight Howard isn't the clear cut winner by any means.

Also, if MVP was defined in that manner, LeBron James should have won it every year since his sophomore season.

I think MVP is more along the lines of "Most Valuable Player On A Successful Team", and if that's the case, Chris Paul should be winning it this season.