Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault completed the 2024-25 common season with two of his gamers, All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort, two guards, as candidates for DPOY. After explaining his reasoning, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins helps Dort within the DPOY race over Golden Sate Warriors veteran Draymond Inexperienced. Perkins noticed Inexperienced name for assist protection, whereas Daigneault is aware of, Lu would not.
Daigneault additionally understands the significance of getting a robust defender within the backcourt, particularly in at the moment’s NBA.
“Rim safety issues and has a downstream impact in your protection, for positive, however so does perimeter play,” Daigneault mentioned. “The league has grow to be more and more perimeter-oriented on offense even when you take a look at a number of the finest bigs within the league. They’re the perfect bigs due to what they do on the perimeter as bigs. So, the sport has advanced right into a extra perimeter-oriented recreation. There’s extra tempo, there’s extra space, there’s extra three-point taking pictures than ever, which places a premium on perimeter protection as effectively.
“So, I feel, the standard rim protector, that is nonetheless extremely impactful, that also has lots to do together with your protection being actually good. However, I’d say, the hole between perimeter and large is shut considerably, or turns into equalized due to how the sport has modified,” Daigneault concluded.
Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault watched Dort completed as a prime three candidate for Defensive Participant of the 12 months. He is within the combine with Inexperienced and Cleveland Cavs All-Star Evan Mobley with finest odds of profitable this yr’s honor.
Why Kendrick Perkins modified his DPOY decide to Thunder’s Lu Dort
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Thunder guard Lu Dort believes guards are uncared for for DPOY consideration. However one of many issues that caught ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins’ eye is how Dort covers an opposing participant one-on-one, whereas Inexperienced leads on assist protection from the Warriors.
Perkins pointed this distinction between the 2 Defensive Participant of the 12 months candidates, per The Highway Trippin podcast.
“I’m watching that recreation, and I’m watching Draymond guard Zubac, and after they throw it into that low block, guess what I see coming? A entice! So I’m like no, no, no,” Perkins mentioned. “When you’re the Defensive Participant of the 12 months, there’s no assist. There’s no assist, I acquired him straight up. There’s no double-teaming on that.”
Perkins additionally backed up his case with by highlighting how opposing guards’ scoring manufacturing diminish in opposition to Dort and the Thunder in comparison with their regular-season common, and the decline is drastic.