The 2024–25 NBA season is almost over, and the Defensive Player of the Year race has seen its share of shock. Early on, it looked like nothing could stop Victor Wembanyama from getting the crown he desired. However, who could’ve predicted that he would have to drop out of the season because of deep vein thrombosis? With Wembanyama sidelined, the DPOY race is now wide open. Several contenders are stepping up, but Draymond Green believes the award is his for the taking.

After shutting down Giannis Antetokounmpo in a must-win game, Green didn’t hesitate to stake his claim for DPOY. “One million percent I have a case, and I’ll continue to build that case in these next 13 games, but (Wednesday night) was a prime example of it,” he said, confident as ever. He believes no one stands a chance against him after Wembanyama. In his words, “I don’t see many players impacting the game on the defensive end the way I do”. While Green sees himself as the obvious choice, one former defensive great isn’t sold. Tony Allen, widely regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders of his era, had a different name in mind.

Allen stated, “Hmm. Draymond, my boy, too, and he locks stuff up.” “He get everybody in the right place being on the back side of the defense,” he added. However, just that is not enough for Allen. Rather, it’s Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels who won his heart instead! “My favorite is the guy from Atlanta… I like Dyson (Daniels). You know, he’s all over the court, man.” Allen is a Daniels fan through and through!

He shared his reaction to watching Daniels play live, “​I’m like, man, this boy can really play defense.” Daniels leads the NBA with 3.1 steals per game and tops the charts with 6.0 deflections per game, totaling 393 deflections this season. While Allen’s strong claim was not unsubstantiated, to say the least, he continued his train of thought.

“But Draymond, you know, he’s going to politic himself. He got to put himself in the name for that.” Draymond Green is not going to like this… Interestingly, he has another player who, in his mind, is also a strong DPOY contender: Luguentz Dort! He claimed, “If he get it, it wouldn’t be a bad option either”. So, while Green is talking up his DPOY chances, the competition is heating up. Will his words be enough to sway voters?

Warriors stumble again: can they regroup before it’s too late?

The Golden State Warriors had a chance to tighten their grip on the sixth seed. Instead, they fumbled it. A 124-115 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night left fans frustrated and players searching for answers. With just 11 games left in the season, every matchup is a must-win. So, what went wrong?

Let’s start with the obvious—no Stephen Curry. The Warriors’ superstar sat out with a pelvic contusion, leaving the team without its heartbeat. But they’ve won without him before, right? This time, though, their defense never showed up. The Hawks ended up with 40 points in the first quarter alone, and by the time Golden State woke up, it was too late.

Draymond Green didn’t hold back after the game. “It’s a terrible loss. When you’re in a position we’re in, we’ve got a chance to compete for something. Eleven games left with everything to play for, you shouldn’t have a loss like this,” he admitted. The Warriors came out flat, and Atlanta made them pay. Even with solid performances from Jimmy Butler (25 points) and Moses Moody (20 points), they couldn’t stop Trae Young, who carved them up for 25 points and 10 assists.

The loss puts them at 41-30, clinging to the sixth seed in a packed Western Conference. With teams like the Clippers and Timberwolves breathing down their necks, every game matters. Next up? The Miami Heat. Curry is expected to rejoin the team, but will he be ready to play? And even if he is, can the Warriors fix their defensive issues in time? We’re about to find out.