Coming into Monday night’s NBA Awards show, Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert seemingly had a better-than-average shot at getting some hardware. Gobert, who averaged 14 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per contest last season, was a finalist for both Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player.
In the end, though, the Jazz center was boxed out from individual year-end honors.
Although Gobert led the Association in blocks per game, block percentage, individual defensive rating, defensive real plus/minus and defensive win shares, it was Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green that captured the Defensive Player of the Year award.