PHOENIX SUNS
Draymond Green pegs Devin Booker as MVP, Mikal Bridges as DPOY
Count Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green as a card-carrying member of the Devin-Booker-for-MVP club.
The power forward revealed his top picks for a handful of NBA awards on Tuesday, laying out his reasoning why Booker has been the Most Valuable Player across the association this past season.
“My MVP is Devin Booker,” Green said on his show. “I think Book has been consistent all year. I think with how good their team has been — again, we can go back to the conversation, there’s no criteria. Some years it’s the best player on the best team. Some years it’s Russell Westbrook when his team’s in sixth place but he won. And don’t get me wrong, he deserved to win, but we just all wonder, ‘What’s the criteria?’
Should the best player on the best team be MVP? @Money23Green pic.twitter.com/06sCRusF2d
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) April 5, 2022
“However, for me, for my criteria, Devin Booker is the MVP of the NBA with as consistent as he’s been. He’s faced injuries, he’s come back, hasn’t missed a beat. Their team has continued to win, their leading the NBA in first place by a long shot. Got to go with Devin Booker as my MVP.”
Booker has been on a tear this season, averaging 26.6 points, five rebounds and 4.9 assists over 34.5 minutes per game. He’s shooting 46.4% from the field and 37.7% from long range.
Green didn’t stop with showing Phoenix love at Booker, either, with the Warrior pegging small forward Mikal Bridges as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.
“Mikal Bridges has to be in the conversation,” Green said. “What I like about Mikal Bridges is he’s a good defender. He’s not a good on-ball defender, he’s a good defender. He’s good on the ball, he’s good off the ball, he can block shots weakside, he can plug passing lanes, he’s in the right spot, he’s always in help (defense). He’s a good defender.
“There’s some defenders that compromises your defense in order to be good defenders. Mikal Bridges don’t compromise your defense to be a good defender. Mikal Bridges has to be in the conversation and is probably deserving to be the winner of it.”
.@Money23Green breaks down his choice for Defensive Player of the Year 🔒 pic.twitter.com/LWyFNI7wiU
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) April 5, 2022
Aside from guarding the opposition’s top playmakers on any given night, Bridges is averaging 14.4 points on 53.2% shooting to go along with 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists over 35.5 minutes per game. He has also never missed a game in his four-year career.
