The Golden State Warriors pulled off one of their best wins of the season against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Warriors, who were without superstar Stephen Curry, found a way to win this game on the strength of Jimmy Butler’s amazing all-around performance.
Butler finished the game with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists, leading the Warriors in scoring and assists. Rookie Quinten Post had a decent game, as he finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds, while Buddy Hield contributed with 15 points as well.
The returning Brandin Podziemski looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, with 17 points and 7 rebounds in his return to the lineup. Podziemski had been out with an injury, but he looked as if his time off had no effect on his game.
While the Warriors had a well-rounded game from the entire team, there was one player besides Butler that stuck out for his defensive prowess. That man has been the engine of the Warriors defense for years.
Draymond Green Gets DPOY Talk
Draymond Green was a huge catalyst for the Warriors’ win against the Bucks, as he was everywhere defensively in that game. He was moving freely, deflecting passes, forcing players into tough shots, and blocking some of those tough shots.
Green’s inspired performance on Giannis Antetokounmpo was the talk of the game. Green held Antetokounmpo to 0-7 shooting from the field when matched as his primary defender.
This was considered Green’s best defensive performance of the season, which prompted fans and media to begin to endorse Green for the Defensive Player Of The Year award. Fans were vocal on Twitter about Green’s performance:
He’s an all time great defender and absolute menace to the opposition. Not sure he’s this years DPOY but he’s always in the picture https://t.co/wSqDD92kum
— The Beard (@BeardZeus) March 20, 2025
“He’s an all time great defender and absolute menace to the opposition. Not sure he’s this years DPOY but he’s always in the picture” tweeted one fan.
The fact the he has only 1 DPOY and Gobert has 4 is the biggest tragedy of this generation of basketball. It completely devalues awards as a whole.
— Shawn Aasland (@Shazland4) March 19, 2025
“The fact the he has only 1 DPOY and Gobert has 4 is the biggest tragedy of this generation of basketball. It completely devalues awards as a whole” replied another.
Green DPOY agenda boiling nicely and I am here for it. And don't talk to be about the dude that got put on blender by Harden yesterday.
— Felo (@Felosopha) March 19, 2025
Green has only won one DPOY award in 2016-2017, but many experts feel like he could have won more. While some of the voting for DPOY has been controversial, many recognize Green as one of the best defenders of his generation.
Can Green Win DPOY This Season?
Green’s case for DPOY is strong, as he is currently holding All-Star opponents to 42% from the field and 26% from three-point range. This type of lockdown defense is what makes Green so special as a player. He has a unique way of playing on the court, but it is very effective.
Green faces some stiff competition from the likes of Evan Mobley from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Luguentz Dort from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Dyson Daniels from the Atlanta Hawks. These are all versatile defenders who can do different things on the court. All of them are elite in multiple ways, making this a tough decision.
Who wins the award for Defensive Player Of The Year? For Green, I’m sure he would much rather have a fifth championship than the DPOY trophy, but it wouldn’t hurt to have both in the same year I’m sure.