DPOY Awards are pointless

[StrongLurk]

It's much easier in basketball to quantify offensive impact than defensive impact. I've looked at the "voting" for DPOY over the last 30 years or so and honestly it's terrible. So many "voters" are even blowing it recently and it just feels like the "voters" really don't know what they are doing when it comes to choosing who wins DPOY.

It's different than MVP or Finals MVP because it's pretty damn obvious who is in the top 2-3 for those awards. For DPOY candidates, it's often narrative-based. A guy like Duncan never won DPOY which is ridiculous, and it's not like DPOY has a "best team" narrative going with it like MVP (minus historic seasons like Westbrook in 17). Even all-nba defensive awards are a little suspect.

[Bronbron23]

its kind of fitting that a steph fan would call a defensive award pointless

[Wally450]

Didn't Marc Gasol get DPOY then not make defensive 1st team?

[Akeem34TheDream]

The part that annoys me is differentiating defence with overall ability with having DPOY and MVP awards. That means defence is not really a factor in MVP voting and it has its own award. Sure, offensive impact of top players are more important but still. So I'd be okay if that award was gone.

[light]

It's much easier in basketball to quantify offensive impact than defensive impact. I've looked at the "voting" for DPOY over the last 30 years or so and honestly it's terrible. So many "voters" are even blowing it recently and it just feels like the "voters" really don't know what they are doing when it comes to choosing who wins DPOY.

It's different than MVP or Finals MVP because it's pretty damn obvious who is in the top 2-3 for those awards. For DPOY candidates, it's often narrative-based. A guy like Duncan never won DPOY which is ridiculous, and it's not like DPOY has a "best team" narrative going with it like MVP (minus historic seasons like Westbrook in 17). Even all-nba defensive awards are a little suspect.

I wouldn't say it's pointless.

The voting you can take as an indicator. It points us in a general direction. Somewhere within those votes is the actual best defensive player in the league that year, but it may not be the guy that ultimately wins the award.

But I think we can all agree that they usually get the candidates right.

So there is some use there.

Over time defensive metrics should improve and become more accurate and more sophisticated, but until then we have this kind of shotgun approach.

Fwiw, Tim Duncan finished in the top 4 in DPOY voting four times and in the top 3 twice.

[light]

Didn't Marc Gasol get DPOY then not make defensive 1st team?

Yes, in 2013. The same thing happened the previous year in 2012 - Tyson Chandler won DPOY and didn't make defensive 1st team either.

The reason that happened was because the media voted for DPOY while the coaches voted for All-Defensive and they did not agree in those years.

The coaches were pointing to LeBron and Tony Allen and the media pointed to Chandler and Gasol.

The solution the NBA came up with was to remove the coaches from voting and make it all media.

So the media has been voting for both DPOY and All-Defensive since 2014.

[ArbitraryWater]

Yes, in 2013. The same thing happened the previous year in 2012 - Tyson Chandler won DPOY and didn't make defensive 1st team either.

The reason that happened was because the media voted for DPOY while the coaches voted for All-Defensive and they did not agree in those years.

The coaches were pointing to LeBron and Tony Allen and the media pointed to Chandler and Gasol.

The solution the NBA came up with was to remove the coaches from voting and make it all media.

So the media has been voting for both DPOY and All-Defensive since 2014.

Wow, kinda forgot that.

All I know is the media clearly had a Tyson Chandler narrative after the Mavs title and move to NY. Like he was some culture changer. And the Knicks didnt even improve that season. That happened the next year.

LeBron was DPOTY in 2012 and 2013

[Norcaliblunt]

Individual awards in a team sport are lame. We should just recognize the stat leaders if we need to give dudes some sort of personal pat on the back.

[BigShotBob]

Wow, kinda forgot that.

All I know is the media clearly had a Tyson Chandler narrative after the Mavs title and move to NY. Like he was some culture changer. And the Knicks didnt even improve that season. That happened the next year.

LeBron was DPOTY in 2012 and 2013

No....not even close.

Tyson Chandler deserved it for the intensity he brought to an ailing Knicks team that lacked a defensive identity.

Marc Gasol held down the paint for the grind house Grizzlies, perhaps the best defensive team in the league.

The media campaigned for Lebron to win the DPOY heavy in 2012 and 2013 but it died down by the end of the season.

[Stephonit]

Individual awards in a team sport are lame. We should just recognize the stat leaders if we need to give dudes some sort of personal pat on the back.

This is on the money. But they have tickets to sell and individual stars market better. It's why music groups turn into star vehicles. Still for people who take the basketball competition over the entertainment it bears keeping in mind the individual awards are largely malarkey.

[tpols]

Honestly most awards are pointless.

MVP is extremely narrative driven with no consistent criteria. ie is it best player in the league or best player for their team? how does steve nash have double the MVPs of shaq?

All star is the most garbage... just a huge fan spam vote.

FMVP is decided by 20 and 30 something year old corporate profit seeking, puppet string pulled journalists.

All NBA is probably the only award without any narrative attached to it which makes sense because it gets way less coverage than the above 3.

[Norcaliblunt]

Lebron has never been some DPOY caliber player. That’s a joke. Media driven BS.

[Norcaliblunt]

how does steve nash have double the MVPs of shaq?

Because AI stole one from Shaq and Nash stole one from Dirk or Duncan.

[ArbitraryWater]

Kobe fans dont like any media awards. Even though media clearly votes more carefully than players and coaches. Coaches are busy enough with their own team.

LeBron was far and away the best playoff defender in 2012, 2013, 2016.

Masterclasses those years

[ArbitraryWater]

Because AI stole one from Shaq and Nash stole one from Dirk or Duncan.

Duncan? What