When the team at Dunking With Wolves decided to predict these awards for our emerging Timberwolves this season, it probably wouldn’t have taken a rocket scientist to pick the Defensive Player Of The Year.
With three All-Defensive team selections already under his belt, Jimmy Butler was a lock to receive the most votes on a team that has been well below average on defense for far too long.
Butler joins a team that, according to basketball-reference.com, finished in the bottom ten in the league in Defensive Rating, opponent points in the paint, opponent points off fast breaks and opponents points off turnovers.