Kevin McHale knows great defensive post play when he see’s it, and he has one of the games best players on his team.
So it shouldn’t be a shock that McHale told ESPN.com that Joakim Noah should win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
“He’s played very well,” McHale said after his team’s shootaround at Moody Bible Institute. “He should be defensive player of the year. He’s done a great job with these guys. They’ve been winning a lot just on his energy and effort, his kind of determination and toughness. Those are all qualities everybody appreciates.”
Noah is averaging 12.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks this season.
McHale was complimentary of Noah entire body of work.
He’s just more confident in what he’s doing,” McHale said. “He’s making plays with the pass. He’s driving and kicking. When he was coming out, I thought he’d be a pick-pop-and-drive playmaking 4. He’s doing more of that now.”
