<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The defensive player of the year is supposed to be announced today, and it appears Ben Wallace's two-year reign is over. Indiana's Ron Artest is expected to receive the award, with Wallace second. The Pacers have scheduled a news conference for today. Wallace appeared unfazed when he learned the news. "I just go out there and play and let the numbers speak for themselves," he said. </div> http://www.freep.com/sports/pistons/pcorn19_20040419.htm Ok, I know Artest is a good one on one defender, but I really don't think he should have won this. After sending out statistics packages to all of the voters, the Pacers organization really worked hard for this one. Artest ranks third in the league in steals, but that's about it for his defensive stats. He's 17th in the league in turnovers per game, and he doesn't rank in blocks or rebounds per game. His season high for rebounds in a game is 12. Ben ranks second in boards and in blocks, and seventh in steals, and thirteenth in double-doubles, a category in which Artest does not rank. In steals per turnover, Ben ranks 8th and Artest ranks 28th. On top of all that, he's 15th in minutes per game and Artest is 45th. I know I don't need to sell my point to fellow Pistons fans, and the award isn't that big of a deal. It's impressive that he holds opponents to so few shots per game, but he doesn't rebound, he doesn't block shots, he turns over the ball, and he gets an award? Does this just seem completely ludicrous to anyone else?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting PyroManiac:</div><div class="quote_post">That is pretty damn horrible. Ben deserved the award, and everybody knows it! Outrage!</div> They prolly tought it was time to get the award to a perimeter player On the other hand, Artest deserved the DPOY... Saw that numbers that Carlisle brought up... If those were true, then I would think that he deserves it as much as Big Ben... Numbers don't say everything... But, I still think Wallace's the best defender in the nba... He can change games with his blocking ability, can play the passing lanes, and has a knack for rebounds... He has everything to win the award again... But it seems it won't happen this time...
well i thought Ron Ron deserved it, justnot as much as Bog Ben. But like ThaLord said, stats aren't everything.
Big Ben, In My opinion, Did Not Deserve It. Come On, How Many Defenders Has Artest Locked Down? More Than I Can Count!
How many shots has Ben jumped up and blocked? How many charges has he taken? How many crowds has he reached through to grab boards? More than I can count.
How many games has Ben single changed the outcome by himself on the last shot? I remember at least 3 games where a block or a steal he made at the end of regulation helped the Pistons win the game. Artest is a great defender but he can only defend one player while Ben can defend a large, usually easy to score area. (The paint)
Ron Ron played elite defense this season and was an allstar for the first time, i think he deserved it but Big Ben will still be on the top of my list of DPOY because his defense affects the whole team and Ron Ron's only affects a player.
