Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, who was named the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for games played in October/November, has won the award for the second time this season, the NBA announced today (via Twitter). Daniels is the East’s Defensive Player of the Month for March.
Daniels, who has become a legitimate contender for Defensive Player of the Year in his first season as a Hawk, continued to wreak havoc on opposing offenses in March, leading the NBA in steals (3.3), deflections (5.4), and forced turnovers (3.1) per contest over the course of 14 games as Atlanta went 9-5.
Daniels is the second Eastern Conference player to be recognized with two Defensive Player of the Month awards this season, joining Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, who earned the honor in both December and February.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, Warriors forward Draymond Green was named the Defensive Player of the Month for March.
Green, who advocated for himself as a top DPOY candidate a couple weeks ago, backed up the claim with his performance on that end of the court in March. According to the NBA, Green ranked third in the West in steals (1.9) and contested shots (9.1) per game for the month, while Golden State had the fourth-best defensive rating in the league (109.7).
Five different players have been named Defensive Player of the Month in the West this season — Green joins Victor Wembanyama, Jaren Jackson Jr., Amen Thompson, and Toumani Camara as the honorees in the award’s inaugural season.
Mobley, Knicks forward OG Anunoby, and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes were also nominated for the Eastern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Month award for March, according to the NBA (Twitter link). The West’s other nominees were Camara, Clippers center Ivica Zubac, and Thunder wing Luguentz Dort.
Draymond just passed Mobley as odds-on favorite for DPOY. It looks like it’s Draymond’s to lose. A decent finish for GSW should do it.
link to sportsbook.fanduel.com
Mobley struggled badly during Cavs’ losing streak, and the media coverage of his defensive woes (he’s being hunted on PnR constantly) seem to have ended his
Lu Dort is now in 3rd place, and Dyson Daniels has fallen far.
Only Dyson and Toumani have been nominated in every month. Zubac and JJJ have been nominated four times. This consistency is outstanding, and they are deserving of First-Team honors.