Should Kevin Garnett really be the Defensive player of the year?

[Red Hawk #21]

I've really been wondering lately if Garnett's defense is overrated, most people when they think of Garnett they think of a great defender that rejects shots and says" Get that shit outta here!". But in reality I think Garnett is only an average defender.

Think about it for a second how many power forwards has he locked down? Duncan has owned him in the past, Boozer has schooled him, He has completely no answer for Dirk than to pull his jersey and Dirk still lights him up anyway , Amare abuses him every single time they meet, now even a youth like Josh Smith is having his way with Garnett. The reality is that Garnett imo is too small to guard big PF's and isn't quick enough to guard the quicker PF's. I'm not trying to knock on Garnett I think he is a great player but I've started wondering if his defense is as great as people say it is. I think the real DPOY is Bruce Bowen, now that is a true lockdown defender. What do you guys think?

[BonnerDynasty]

But he is on the Celtics and he is KG.

Please.


Do not question the authorities.

[BiZNicK]

Getting punked by Zaza....he should be SOY, Sissy of the Year

[stretch]

I've really been wondering lately if Garnett's defense is overrated, most people when they think of Garnett they think of a great defender that rejects shots and says" Get that shit outta here!". But in reality I think Garnett is only an average defender.

Think about it for a second how many power forwards has he locked down? Duncan has owned him in the past, Boozer has schooled him, He has completely no answer for Dirk than to pull his jersey and Dirk still lights him up anyway , Amare abuses him every single time they meet, now even a youth like Josh Smith is having his way with Garnett. The reality is that Garnett imo is too small to guard big PF's and isn't quick enough to guard the quicker PF's. I'm not trying to knock on Garnett I think he is a great player but I've started wondering if his defense is as great as people say it is. I think the real DPOY is Bruce Bowen, now that is a true lockdown defender. What do you guys think?

What you have said here pretty much reflects my exact feelings toward KG.

Great player, but overrated.

[hater]

yes. the defenseless player of the year the way he punks out even on scrubs

[jacobdrj]

What you have said here pretty much reflects my exact feelings toward KG.

Great player, but overrated.

Ben Wallace is NOT a 1-on-1 defender, in almost any way shape or form. He actually did a more than admirable job on Tim Duncan and Shaq which was uncharacteristic for him. His advantages came on the help side.
IMHO, KG is much more of a help-side defender than a 1-on-1 defender, ala Rasheed Wallace and Clifford Robinson. Had he ever played next to someone like that, I think KG would show just how good he really is.

[MONTENEGRINO]

Three possible answers:
a) Mmmmm... NO
b) NO
c) Hell NO!!!

I'd pick c)

[JamStone]

KG deserves the award. He can be a punk on the court a lot of times. But, he's still a great all around defender and no other player really stood out this season. As for getting lit up by the likes of Duncan, Amare, and Boozer... well, so does basically every other power forward in the league on a regular basis. Hell, Duncan got lit up all season long this year, but no one dare say he's not a great defender. In this era of great athletes and rules that favor offensive players, it's hard to "lock down" anyone anymore. The best players can do is contain great offensive players best they can. I know KG acts like a punk and he cannot completely shut down players. But, no one can anymore. Not Ben Wallace, not Tim Duncan, not Marcus Camby. KG's impact on defense goes beyond just shutting one player down. It extended to being a great team defender and inspiration to his teammates to be great team defenders. So, yes he still deserved the DPOY.

[Matchman]

Shane Battier got snubbed :pctoss

[Matchman]

Shane Battier got snubbed

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

The Celtics made the leap to the top defensive team in the league this year. They didn't make any big management changes, and I'm pretty sure that Ray Allen wasn't the one making the difference for them.

He's a great help defender, he's got an intensity that can be infectious, and (while I know this is supposed to be purely about defense) he gets it done on the defensive end while being asked to do heavy lifting on offense too. Just makes it a little more impressive in my book when a guy can do that.

[Red Hawk #21]

The reason why the Celtics have great defense imo is because of Tom Thibbedeau's defensive schemes, that dude is a straight up GURU when it comes to defense. If you haven't heard about him you soon will...

[JamStone]

Great coaching can't transform a very bad defense into one of the best defenses in the league without the players. It can't.

[Red Hawk #21]

^ I agree with you but I just don't think Garnett's defense is great enough for him to earn DPOY honors, I'm not trying to say he is a bad defender.

[Thunder Dan]

I heard they are giving the scoring title to the guy with the most assists this year

[BlackSwordsMan]

He's about to be suspended.

[resistanze]

Well, he's a better choice than Camby was last year.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Well, he's a better choice than Camby was last year.

+1. And how that shitbrick got second this year baffles me just as much as his win.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

The reason why the Celtics have great defense imo is because of Tom Thibbedeau's defensive schemes, that dude is a straight up GURU when it comes to defense. If you haven't heard about him you soon will...

Yes he have "great defense" just like Van Gundy is "great coach". This for regular season and maybe 2 games of playoff. When other team actual make adjustment these "great coaches" is nothing but suck and crap coaches.

Why fans and owners of teams keeps gets fooled by these idiot?

[mavsfan1000]

There are no great defenders right now. Just a bunch of good ones. Garnett is worthy as anyone. Duncan would be my choice though.

[Bob Lanier]

Garnett imo is too small to guard big PF's
Huh? He's more than 7 feet tall and weighs about 260 nowadays. He's a lot slower than he used to be, but he's also a lot bigger.

[Red Hawk #21]

Huh? He's more than 7 feet tall and weighs about 260 nowadays. He's a lot slower than he used to be, but he's also a lot bigger.

Nice try but you fail according to this Kg is 6'11 and 220

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kevin_garnett/index.html

[JamStone]

KG is at least 245, probably closer to 260. The nba.com profiles don't always player weight/height. KG was around 220 for his first 5 or so seasons. I distinctly remember he got up to 258 one summer several years back to add bulk to his frame so he could take more contact. And, he's always been listed at 6-11, but it's been long accepted that he's closer to 7-1.

[Red Hawk #21]

KG is at least 245, probably closer to 260. The nba.com profiles don't always player weight/height. KG was around 220 for his first 5 or so seasons. I distinctly remember he got up to 258 one summer several years back to add bulk to his frame so he could take more contact. And, he's always been listed at 6-11, but it's been long accepted that he's closer to 7-1.

I know what you are saying about the player profiles but they can't be that incorrect, Kg might be 7-1 and be listed as 6'11 but I doubt that he is 260 and listed as 220. Garnett doesn't even look like he's 260 and why would the player profile say he is a whopping 40 pounds skinnier? Sorry but I can't believe that.

[miss paxton]

I've heard before that he prefers to be listed at 6'11", although he's taller, in order to avoid the 7' stereotype. I don't know if that's true, though.

[JamStone]

I know what you are saying about the player profiles but they can't be that incorrect, Kg might be 7-1 and be listed as 6'11 but I doubt that he is 260 and listed as 220. Garnett doesn't even look like he's 260 and why would the player profile say he is a whopping 40 pounds skinnier? Sorry but I can't believe that.


Because at one point, KG used to be 220, earlier on in his career and they probably didn't update it. Players gain weight all the time and throughout in their careers. Shaq probably tipped the scales near 380 a few years ago, but I bet you that you wouldn't have found any profile anywhere that listed him up that high. I specifically remember a few summers ago KG bulking up and specifically that it was 258. Now he might not be that weight now. But, he certainly isn't 220 either.

[SRJ]

Nice try but you fail according to this Kg is 6'11 and 220

The NBA keeps a players rookie height/weight the same for years and years. They still called MJ 195 when he was well over 210. David Robinson was listed at 235 for most of his career when he was 250 from his third year onward.