Ben Wallace wins DPOY

[fgrep15]

Ben Wallace of the Detroit Pistons has won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, a source within the league said Monday morning.

The Pistons scheduled an afternoon news conference, and the source, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, said Wallace would be presented with the award at that time.

Wallace also won it in 2002 and 2003.

During the regular season, he ranked fifth with 2.38 blocks per game, second with 12.2 rebounds a game and 23rd with 1.43 steals a game. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound center ranks second in the playoffs with three blocks a game.

http://www.freep.com/news/latestnews/pm ... 050502.htm

[Null17]

nothing new i guess...he had no competition with artest out and kirilenko out for most of the season

[fgrep15]

Actually it wasn't close to being clear cut this year, many people would've put guys like Marcus Camby, Tim Duncan, and Shawn Marion at the same level as Ben for this award.

[Null17]

I guess so...haven't seen many games this season really so I just based that on how people's comments here

[maes]

It's the proper call, but i'm surprised because they usually like to give awards around to different people, and Ben's won it once already. Similar to MVP.

I don't think it was clear cut this year either, on NBA.com's poll the winner was Shawn Marion. I also voted for him because the reason Phoenix can pull off a run & gun offense is because Amare & Matrix are continually mismatched every single night, and they still collect the boards and put the stoppers on.

[Indy]

I would have rather seen Larry Hughes or Allen Iverson get the award.

[Lenkbron]

i don´t like the decision, matrix would have deserved this award, since he plays great defense on a team which doesn´t seem to play defense at all...and detroit is a defensive-minded team, so it´s not that difficult to grab rebounds or block shots if you are the man in the middle, since your teammates already won´t allow easy looks/baskets...

and he got the award twice already, i think that should have been enough and someone else should be honoured for his hard work!!

[Jona]

It was kind of obvious...

[T-Comm55]

There was no one that even came close to him. Good Job Big Ben

[The GOAT]

Yes there was, just no one who came close to the amount of hype that big Ben gets for his D.

[Indy]

Yes there was, just no one who came close to the amount of hype that big Ben gets for his D.

Best post in this thread.

[Andrew]

Like Karl Malone's regular season MVP award in the lockout season it was an academic selection. Wallace is deserving of the award, though not as overwhelmingly as in 2002 and 2003.

[Lenkbron]

Yes there was, just no one who came close to the amount of hype that big Ben gets for his D.

exactly

[Matt]

i don´t like the decision, matrix would have deserved this award, since he plays great defense on a team which doesn´t seem to play defense at all...and detroit is a defensive-minded team, so it´s not that difficult to grab rebounds or block shots if you are the man in the middle, since your teammates already won´t allow easy looks/baskets...

and he got the award twice already, i think that should have been enough and someone else should be honoured for his hard work!!

Detroit is defensive minded but the defense turns to shit when Ben is on the bench. When he's in the games is totally different.

Just because he got the award twice already doesn't mean he cant get it a 3rd time, given that he does deserve it. His stats may have dipped but he's still the same defensive force that he was 3yrs ago, except now he plays with better defensive players around him.

[Fresh8]

Congrats to Big Ben for his third one right?

Anyways.. if Ben wasnt on the pistons, Detroit just wouldnt play like they do... full stop.

[Matt]

Mutombo had 4, i wonder if Ben can match that...it'll be tougher with Artest and Kirilenko back in the mix.

[[Q]]

I tihnk Marion should have won it, but if AK was healthy all year, he definitely woud have won it...

[Lenkbron]

i don´t like the decision, matrix would have deserved this award, since he plays great defense on a team which doesn´t seem to play defense at all...and detroit is a defensive-minded team, so it´s not that difficult to grab rebounds or block shots if you are the man in the middle, since your teammates already won´t allow easy looks/baskets...

and he got the award twice already, i think that should have been enough and someone else should be honoured for his hard work!!

Detroit is defensive minded but the defense turns to shit when Ben is on the bench. When he's in the games is totally different.

Just because he got the award twice already doesn't mean he cant get it a 3rd time, given that he does deserve it. His stats may have dipped but he's still the same defensive force that he was 3yrs ago, except now he plays with better defensive players around him.

for sure he can win it a 3rd time, but if a player is playing 20 years in the league and winning the award every year, it seems like he´s the only one playing good defense as others don´t get the recognition and don´t get honoured for their effort...it doesn´t mean that he isn´t defending as good as 3 years ago, but it´s someone else´s turn...that´s what i meant...

[Matt]

for sure he can win it a 3rd time, but if a player is playing 20 years in the league and winning the award every year, it seems like he´s the only one playing good defense as others don´t get the recognition and don´t get honoured for their effort...it doesn´t mean that he isn´t defending as good as 3 years ago, but it´s someone else´s turn...that´s what i meant...

i know what you mean, spread the love right? I'm all up for diff players winning as long as they deserve it.

[Carlo.29]

Ben Wallace is deserving for that award, Detroit is known for the most defensive team in the NBA, and Ben is the best defender in the team

[c0nr4d]

Ben Wallace is deserving for that award, Detroit is known for the most defensive team in the NBA, and Ben is the best defender in the team

i agree

[th3gh05t]

i dunnno, this is a stupid selection, much like mutombo winning it all because he's a bonafide shot blocker.

ben wallace has just 2rebs, 1steal more than shaq. soooo. . . .

[The GOAT]

pffff, forget Shaq, I'd vote Larry Hughes. Guy's amazing

[Matt]

ben wallace has just 2rebs, 1steal more than shaq

and yet he's still a way better defensive player

[[Q]]

Larry Hughes gambles waaay too much to be Defensive POY.