By rewarding Jaren Jackson Jr., a year after Marcus Smart’s coronation, the NBA has returned to a trend that has been true for years: the trophy for best defender of the year (DPOY) more traditionally goes to players of great stature. size. What has the gift of annoying Austin Rivers.
Visiting The Ringer, the 31-year-old rekindles the debate about the low representation of “small” people in this category. “ If we look at what happens every night, the majority of points scored by all teams in the league come from the guards, the wingers. So why wouldn’t the Defender of the Year award always go to those who have to defend on them? “, asks the veteran, currently without a contract.
It was then pointed out to him that Marcus Smart won the trophy the previous season, and that he was the first point guard/back to be honored since… 1996 and Gary Payton. Since then, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, Ben Wallace, Dwight Howard or Rudy Gobert, and a few rare wingers (Kawhi Leonard, Metta World Peace), have reigned without much sharing.
“ It’s like the defender of the year has to be a center or a big. When we’re the ones running behind Steph Curry and his 15 screens, we’re the ones taking the shots, who can’t hit them and foul. We’re the ones left alone with Kyrie (Irving), we have the hardest task », Judge Austin Rivers.
Jrue Holiday and Avery Bradley never winners? A joke “
His speech closely resembles that of Marcus Smart, given before his coronation. This one, without wanting anything “ to remove » to the impact of the greats, believed that an attacker must “ go in front of us, the rear. Most of the time we make it so difficult that by the time he gets to the front of the inside, all you have to do is send him in the opposite direction. […] You are the one who takes the offensive fouls, the one who takes the shots to direct to the interiors. »
The latter will more naturally make an impression with sometimes spectacular counterattacks. But we must not forget that their mere presence also serves as an intimidation factor against opposing scorers. The fact remains that for the former Clippers or Rockets player, seeing his counterparts not being rewarded is ” joke “.
“ Guys like Jrue Holiday, has he ever won the trophy? It’s a joke, a joke. Marcus Smart just won one, Avery never won it, it’s a joke. Even though he wasn’t the most prized player, Avery Bradley was the best outside defender in the NBA for quite a while. It is a fact. For four or five years, he was the best outside defender in the league. Point “, maintains Austin Rivers.
He also has a word for his former Clippers teammate, Patrick Beverley: “ Younger, the Pat of the Rockets or that of the Clippers should have won one. »
The latter, failing to win the “DPOY”, had to settle for several selections in the best defensive five in the league (3), just like Avery Bradley (2) or Jrue Holiday (5).
