Marc Gasol is the defensive player of the year, James and Howard disagree

“On behalf of my teammates and our coaching staff, I am grateful to be named the Defensive Player of the Year. We had a great season, especially on the defensive end, and that is due to the hard work of everyone involved.”

- Marc Gasol

The Memphis Grizzlies have one of the best defenses in the league. They led the league in points allowed, which however is not the most conclusive measure of defense, since points allowed also depends on your own offensive pace. The entire system of the Grizzlies starts with Marc Gasol. The younger brother of Pau Gasol was the major reason why the Grizzlies got to 56 wins.

One could make the argument that the award is more arbitrary than anything. Although generally that is a label attached to the Most Improved Player award. In case of the Defensive Player of the Year, at least in case of Marc Gasol we can dissect his performance. He isn’t the fastest or quickest of the big men around. He doesn’t possess the greatest of verticals. But only six players in the league averaged over 1.5 blocks and 1 steal this season, and he was one of them. That put him at seventh among the centers in steals and 12th in blocks as Gasol averaged 1.7 blocks and 1 steals per game.

The Grizzlies finished second in the league in defensive efficiency and a major part of that was Gasol. The Memphis Grizzlies allowed 95.4 points per 100 possessions with Marc Gasol on the floor and 102.2 points-per-100 with him sitting out. That’s a difference of almost 7 points. The Grizzlies allowed a league lowest 88.7 points per game. That’s the difference Gasol helped make. They are the first team since 2005-06 to allow less than 90 points per game. This defense has been exceptional and the success of the team defense has contributed towards Gasol winning the award and vice versa. The Grizzlies were 3rd in field goal percentage allowed with 43.5%, 2nd in 3 point percentage allowed with 33.8%, 1st in total rebounds allowed with 39.1 and 6th in forced turnovers with 15.5.

The Grizzlies were also +7.5 when Gasol was on the floor, they were -3.9 with him on the bench. His impact translated on both ends of the court, and it started with his defense. Marc Gasol is the first Memphis Grizzlies player to have won the defensive player of the year award.

Here’s how the rankings for defensive player of the year shaped up:

Marc Gasol – 212 points
LeBron James – 149
Serge Ibaka – 122
Joakim Noah – 107
Tony Allen – 102
Tim Duncan – 94
Larry Sanders – 90
Paul George – 57
Andre Iguodala – 43
Roy Hibbert – 36
Chris Paul – 19
Avery Bradley – 15
Tyson Chandler – 11
Dwight Howard – 6
Luol Deng – 6
Dwyane Wade – 4
Trevor Ariza – 3
Jimmy Butler – 3
Kenneth Faried – 3
Russell Westbrook – 3
Mike Conley – 1

Notable mentions

LeBron James

LeBron James is a unique talent. A one of a kind player who we have never seen before and will probably never see again. On offense he is capable of doing anything, and on defense he has been guarding every single position at one time or another this season. LeBron James bemoaned, saying that the award should be about individual defense and not team defense.

“It definitely sucks, though, finishing second. Who wants to finish second? I guard everybody on the floor. I don’t know if it’s one player in NBA history that’s guarded 1 (point guards) through 5 (centers). It’s over with now, but it’s cool. I have to know all the likes and dislikes, pros and cons, of each and every player in this league because at some point, I’m going to be matched up with them. It’s a challenge for me mentally and physically,” he said.

Serge Ibaka

“Serge Ibaka with all the stuff he did this year, he should’ve been the guy to win it this year and last year. With the stuff he’s done on the defensive end. I thought he was the clear cut winner. But people saw it otherwise. He led the league in blocks. That’s what defense is all about. He led the team and was number one in blocks this year. You can’t play defense without having any shot blockers. He was the No. 1 shot blocker the last two years. That’s great defense right there.” - Howard said of Ibaka, who was the only player in the league this season to average more than 3 blocks per game with 3.0.

Speaking of him, the list does invite debate when Dwight Howard is not even in the top 10.

“It’s just funny. That’s okay. We got next year and I got a long time. This year’s funny. I didn’t know. I didn’t vote. I don’t know what to do about it. But it’s okay.”- said Dwight Howard.

And Roy Hibbert was ranked 10th? He averaged 8.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. It is worth noting that Gasol averaged way more minutes than some other big men in the list, Noah (370 more minutes) and Duncan (718 more minutes). And it is difficult to separate individual defense from team defense, the Grizzlies being exceptional on the defensive end did have a little to do with Gasol winning this one. But not everyone is happy with his win.