Camby wins DPOY, Artest 8th

[Bricklayer]

Nuggets’ Camby Wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
Posted Apr 27 2007 2:11PM

Seventh player in NBA history with at least three blocked shot titles

NEW YORK, April 27, 2007 – The NBA announced today that Marcus Camby of the Denver Nuggets has won the 2006-07 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The 6-11 forward/center averaged a league-high 3.30 blocks to go along with 11.7 rpg (tied for fourth in the NBA), 11.2 ppg and a career-high 3.2 apg. Camby led the Nuggets in starts (70) and recorded a career-best 32 games with double figures in both points and rebounds. Camby also led all centers in steals (1.24 spg), while his assists were second among centers.

Since entering the NBA in 1996, Camby has been one of the game’s best shot blockers. His career average of 2.56 blocks ranks fourth among all active players and has led the league in blocks on three occasions – 1997-98, 2005-06 and 2006-07. Camby joins George Johnson, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon and Theo Ratliff with three blocked shots titles, and is just one title behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Mark Eaton for the most all-time.

Camby continues to work his way up the Nuggets’ all-time charts. He ranks second on the team’s all-time blocked shot list with 841 and is seven rebounds shy of passing Dan Schayes (3,086) for 10th on the Nuggets all-time rebounding list.

Camby received 431 points, including 70 first-place votes, from a panel of 130 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. San Antonio’s Bruce Bowen finished second with 206 points and his teammate Tim Duncan finished third with 158 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

Attached are the 2006-07 results and the league’s all-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winners:

2006-07 NBA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR RESULTS
Player, Team 1st 2nd 3rd Pts
Marcus Camby, Denver 70 23 12 431
Bruce Bowen, San Antonio 22 26 18 206
Tim Duncan, San Antonio 15 22 17 158
Shawn Marion, Phoenix 7 12 22 93
Shane Battier, Houston 7 11 18 86
Ben Wallace, Chicago 1 10 7 42
Gerald Wallace, Charlotte 3 3 3 27
Ron Artest, Sacramento 1 3 6 20
Tyson Chandler, NOK - 5 - 15
Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana 1 2 - 11
Emeka Okafor, Charlotte - 2 4 10
Tayshaun Prince, Detroit - 2 4 10
Kirk Hinrich, Chicago - 2 1 7
Andrei Kirilenko, Utah - 2 1 7
Quinton Ross, L.A. Clippers 1 - 1 6
Dwight Howard, Orlando 1 - 1 6
Josh Howard, Dallas - 1 2 5
Udonis Haslem, Miami 1 - - 5
Luol Deng, Chicago - 1 1 4
Kevin Garnett, Minnesota - 2 1 7
Josh Smith, Atlanta - - 3 3
Caron Butler, Washington - 1 - 3
Raja Bell, Phoenix - - 2 2
Devin Harris, Dallas - - 1 1
Yao Ming, Houston - - 1 1
Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers - - 1 1
Alonzo Mourning, Miami - - 1 1
Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia - - 1 1
Anthony Parker, Toronto - - 1 1

http://www.nba.com/news/camby_defensiveplayer_070427.html

 

[gunks]

Congrats to Camby, always wished he was our center....Even with the injuries.

And I actually dont have a problem with Ron getting as low as he did. Aside from a few games (like that one where he locked down Melo), he hasnt really been the defensive beast he was in past seasons.


But WTF? Bowen got 2nd? I didnt realize trying to hurt the guy you're guarding counted as good defense.

 

[venom_7]

I hate this voting. Camby should be first and Marion second. But when guys like Udonis Haslem get a 1st place vote? Someone needs to get kicked out.

 

[HighFlyingMonkey]

Lame. Duncan should have gotten it.

 

[Evenstar]

not a shock considering his blocking and rebounding numbers.

 

[kyo2002]

It seems like Artest turned off his defensive aggressiveness ever since Kobe ran circles around him. Artest specifically said he was too focused on trying to shut down a guy and not playing the game. Artest only plays well when there is a star he's against i.e. in one game against the Nuggets he was able to hold Melo down because he shows the ball too much when jabbing. Camby gets my vote although Gerald is the most fun because he glides in the air like a bird and never worries about his landing.

 

[kingsfan916]

i think camby deserves it man i wish we had that guy

 

[sdballer]

Once again Kobe manages to make 1st team all defensive. Unbelievable. Don't get me wrong, the guy is an incredible offensive player and can be very strong defensively when motivated, but the fact he makes it every year frustrates me. You look at voting for DOP and he's one on the lowest total vote getters then he consistently leapfrogs everyone onto the first team. Ah, the joy of reputation.

 

[Bricklayer]

Once again Kobe manages to make 1st team all defensive. Unbelievable. Don't get me wrong, the guy is an incredible offensive player and can be very strong defensively when motivated, but the fact he makes it every year frustrates me. You look at voting for DOP and he's one on the lowest total vote getters then he consistently leapfrogs everyone onto the first team. Ah, the joy of reputation.

It is kind of silly -- he's really not all that and a bag of chips on a night to night basis defensively. But then again, look at that list for DPOY -- while you might be abel to slide a Wallace or Heinrich over on a stretch, there are basically no OGs anywhere near the top of the list. Kobe could be first team all defense just by default.

 

[Superman]

Kobe could be first team all defense just by default.

Exactly. Who else is there to put above him? Ever?

 

[Superman]

i think camby deserves it man i wish we had that guy

I was thinking about this award last night. Camby had great individual numbers defensively, but the Nuggets are almost terrible as a team.

Some stats:

Opponents scored over 100 points against the Nuggets in 54 games this season, and averaged almost 104 ppg. They allowed their opponents to shoot 46.5% overall from the field, which indicates giving up a lot of good shots. Opponents shot 35% from three-point range and notched almost 25 apg, which indicates poor defensive rotations.

I'm not saying that Camby didn't have an awesome year defensively, but I can't understand voting for him as the best defender in the League if his team was subpar defensively. I'd have given him a second place vote, maybe, but my first place vote would have gone to Tim Duncan.

 

[ParniValjak]

I was thinking about this award last night. Camby had great individual numbers defensively, but the Nuggets are almost terrible as a team.

Some stats:

Opponents scored over 100 points against the Nuggets in 54 games this season, and averaged almost 104 ppg. They allowed their opponents to shoot 46.5% overall from the field, which indicates giving up a lot of good shots. Opponents shot 35% from three-point range and notched almost 25 apg, which indicates poor defensive rotations.

I'm not saying that Camby didn't have an awesome year defensively, but I can't understand voting for him as the best defender in the League if his team was subpar defensively. I'd have given him a second place vote, maybe, but my first place vote would have gone to Tim Duncan.

But this is not defensive team of the year award. It goes to an individual that has been the best defender for the year. While, I would have loved to see Timmy win it, I also think that Camby deserves it because he has been a fantastic defender this year.

Why should his effort be dismissed because his team mates can't play a lick of defence?

 

[Superman]

Why should his effort be dismissed because his team mates can't play a lick of defence?

Just like every other award, the effect that player has on his team should have a bearing on whether he's awarded or not, shouldn't it?

I mean, people argued that Kevin Martin didn't win the MIP because the Kings didn't make the playoffs, and I think that's the most individual award there is.

If you're the best defensive player in the League, it should stand to reason that your team would at least be decent defensively, no? I don't mean to say that Camby wasn't a stellar defender; he has been for years now. And before last night, I would have said argued that he should be the DPOY. But after thinking about how important a shotblocker is to a good defense, I changed my mind. If he's really the best defender in the League, his team would be better defensively. Even Bibby looked like a better defender on the US Team playing with better defenders.

Has there ever been a Defensive Player of the Year on a team as bad defensively as the Nuggets? Without looking, I'd be inclined to say no.

 

[ParniValjak]

Just like every other award, the effect that player has on his team should have a bearing on whether he's awarded or not, shouldn't it?

I mean, people argued that Kevin Martin didn't win the MIP because the Kings didn't make the playoffs, and I think that's the most individual award there is.

If you're the best defensive player in the League, it should stand to reason that your team would at least be decent defensively, no? I don't mean to say that Camby wasn't a stellar defender; he has been for years now. And before last night, I would have said argued that he should be the DPOY. But after thinking about how important a shotblocker is to a good defense, I changed my mind. If he's really the best defender in the League, his team would be better defensively. Even Bibby looked like a better defender on the US Team playing with better defenders.

Has there ever been a Defensive Player of the Year on a team as bad defensively as the Nuggets? Without looking, I'd be inclined to say no.

I don't think it should have a bearing on your team. Artest is one of the best defenders in the league and we suck defensively. Also take Raja Bell and Matrix. Both good to great defenders and their team is not great defensively. One player can't possibly cover for the entire team.

On Martin, I think it was more the case of him slowing down towards the end of the season than us not making the play offs that cost him the MIP.

The Bibby scenario just is not valid IMHO. He was not playing against NBA caliber opposition. He was playing against opponents that are at much lower level. I am not so sure he woudl have been that good defensively if the opposition was up to NBA standard.

Camby is a VERY VERY good defender and if he is surrounded by players that aren't exactly great defenders, his team just won't be great defensively. Look at Carmelo, he can't play a lick of defence.

 

[Bricklayer]

Perhaps not, and I think it is a fair criticism -- one I had considered myself actually. But of course we don't know just how awful they might have been without Camby. And the larger issue jsut might be that basically NOBODY was really worthy this year. You say Duncan, and that's always kind of a pat backup plan. But he's not really what he used to be, and in a perfect world shouldnt win anymore of those at this point. Big Ben on teh slide. Artest having little defensive impact on a mess of a team. Bowen has aged very well, but he's such a pure 1-player lockdown guy, does nothing else, doesn't cause all around havoc, just locks down the one guy, that I don't think he will ever get it (nor should he). Kobe doesn;t focus on that end. AK47 has slid way off. Kidd has aged etc. etc. Just few good candidates for the elite honor.

 

[Superman]

I don't think it should have a bearing on your team. Artest is one of the best defenders in the league and we suck defensively. Also take Raja Bell and Matrix. Both good to great defenders and their team is not great defensively. One player can't possibly cover for the entire team.

Artest came in 8th in the voting. He's obviously still one of the best defenders in the NBA, but he didn't have a great year and it showed in the voting.

Marion only came in 4th, even though I might even vote for him over Camby, and Bell only got two 3rd place votes.

A shotblocking center should definitely make your defense better. Not saying he should have to cover for the whole team on defense, but shouldn't the Defensive Player of the Year come from one of the best defensive teams in the League?

On Martin, I think it was more the case of him slowing down towards the end of the season than us not making the play offs that cost him the MIP.

Maybe. But many people have argued that whether your team makes the playoffs or not should have a bearing on whether you win this award. And I differ from that opinion; I think it's the most individual award there could be in a team sport. Based solely on your individual stats - primarily, scoring - from one year to the next.

And while there have been a number of players to win MIP and not make the playoffs, there has probably never been a Defensive Player of the Year on a subpar defensive team. Until now.

The Bibby scenario just is not valid IMHO. He was not playing against NBA caliber opposition. He was playing against opponents that are at much lower level. I am not so sure he woudl have been that good defensively if the opposition was up to NBA standard.

All good points. But the fact is that he played better defense with better defensive players on his team. That's probably the rule. Take any perimeter defender, whether terrible, mediocre or steller, and team him up with defensive stars and see whether he plays better defense. I'd guess 9.9 times out of 10 he would.

Camby is a VERY VERY good defender and if he is surrounded by players that aren't exactly great defenders, his team just won't be great defensively. Look at Carmelo, he can't play a lick of defence.

True. And Bricklayer made the point that we have no idea just how terrible the Nuggets would be without Camby. True as well.

However, I think that a prerequisite for winning the DPOY award should be that you play on a good defensive team. The Nuggets are less than impressive on that end of the floor, and it's pretty much unprecedented that the DPOY comes from a bad defensive team. I wouldn't have voted for him.