This could be the year he pulls a Michael Jordan (DPOY, +Scoring Title, +MVP, +All-Star Game MVP +NBA 1st Team Defense and +All NBA 1st Team) But with Durant out there, IDK. Durant and Melo will compete for scoring title. LBJ will and should be MVP though.
Yea, ESPN people aren't voting Lin for 6th man of the year because GMs are racist and biased against him. Or, possibly, these people who are paid to analyze basketball legitimately think that Jamal Crawford and Tyreke Evans and the like will have a better season than Lin. But you're right, it's probably because GMs are racist. There are some exceedingly terrible posts on this forum.
Thorpe may be getting a bit ahead of himself on that one. Here are the point guards who received votes on the All-Defensive Team for 2012-13: Chris Paul ---------- 1st team Mike Conley -------- 2nd team Russell Westbrook -- 4 votes (1 first place vote) Mike James -------- 2 votes (1 first place vote) Tony Parker ------- 2 votes (1 first place vote) George Hill --------- 2 votes Eric Bledsoe ------- 1 vote Jrue Holiday ------- 1 vote All of these point guards had better DRTG's than Patrick Beverley (98.8) last season [numbers from NBA.com]: Ben Hansbrough --- 93.9 Mike Conley ------- 95.1 George Hill -------- 96.0 Nolan Smith ------- 97.2 Eric Bledsoe ------- 97.5 Tony Parker ------- 97.6 Marquis Teague --- 97.9 Mario Chalmers ---- 98.3 Reggie Jackson ---- 98.3 DJ Augustin ------- 98.4 Pat Beverley ------ 98.8 Of course, as most people know, DRTG depends on who you are playing with (as well as against). Thus, adding a 3-time DPOY in Dwight and pairing him with Asik should certainly help Patrick Beverley's DRTG this year. So, Thorpe could be on to something. The numbers can vary from year to year, based upon your teammates and what unit you are playing with and against (starter, bench, ...). For example, Jeremy Lin had a 96.7 DRTG in 2011-12. But that number shot up to 104.0 last year. My guess is that if the Rockets' defense is substantially improved this year, and it appears it will be, then the three-time DPOY is likely to receive more credit than will Patrick Beverley. Fairly or not.
I think (hope) that this honor is Dwight's to lose. The Orlando highlights someone posted in another thread have me really excited to see how he'll dominate this year.
I would absolutely LOVE to see Dwight rub it in the Lakers and other haters' faces and win the DPOTY award. That would thrill me. I will say, though, that Dwight appears to have lost some athleticism from the back surgery. This can happen, as people familiar with the David Robinson or similar situations can tell you. Still, Dwight is a force and he seems to be in great shape and ready to roll. Can't wait until tomorrow.
