Entering Monday, Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner has 199 blocks on the season.
Turner not only leads the NBA in blocks and blocks per game (2.7), but the Pacers big man has more blocks than the entire Cleveland Cavaliers roster.
The 23-year-old says that in itself should be enough for him to win the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year award.
“Yeah, one of our team statisticians told me that and I was shocked,” Turner told Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype. “If that doesn’t scream All-Defensive 1st Team then I don’t know what does.
“To get Defensive Player of the Year would be an incredible honor because I’ve always prided myself on the defensive end of the floor. I think the DPOY is someone who has the biggest impact on their team and I don’t think anyone this season has had the same impact I’ve had defensively.”
Jazz center Rudy Gobert won the award last season.
Turner is the main reason why the Pacers give up the least points per game on the season. Indiana is limiting opponents to 104.3 points a night.
Along with being a force on defense, Turner has improved his offensive game as well. He is averaging 13.3 points and 7.2 rebounds for the Pacers while shooting 48.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from beyond the arc.
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