Trail Blazers: Hassan Whiteside is making a compelling case for DPOY

We’re 30 games into the Portland Trail Blazers’ 2019-20 campaign, and you can’t discuss Defensive Player of the Year without at least mentioning the force Hassan Whiteside has been down low.

Each year, the debate over who deserves the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award never fails to ignite some heated conversation. But this year, Hassan Whiteside appears to be placing himself in the midst of that conversation.

He’s been exceptional on the defensive side of things for a Portland Trail Blazers team infamous for a high-powered offense and rather lackluster defense. Whiteside has been forced to single-handedly prop up Portland in the paint, and he’s finally earning some well-deserved attention for his efforts.

Whiteside was ecstatic about the opportunity to play in Portland and he got off to a good start, but recently he’s been exceptional. He’s averaging 15.1 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per outing in the month of December so far, which is a significant increase from the 12.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks he averaged in the month prior.

Over the span of the whole season, Whiteside is totaling 13.4 rebounds per game. That number ranks out as the 4th best in the NBA, and his shot blocking leads the league at 2.7 blocks per night.

The averages of Whiteside so far this year compare well with what back-to-back DPOY award winner Rudy Gobert has done in his previous two campaigns. The numbers are actually superior for Whiteside in both rebounds and blocks per game as Gobert averaged just 12.9 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in his better of the two years. Although Gobert had a better Defensive Rating then Whiteside, I believe Gobert’s stronger supporting cast may have skewed that statistic in his favor.

Defensive Rating is an estimate of the players points allowed per 100 possessions, so it’s very reliant on the rest of the players around you. The Trail Blazers are about as distant as a team can be from being defensive minded or defensively sound.

Since the assembly of star backcourt duo and offensive sieves Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, that side of the ball has always been the focal point. This is exactly what makes the defensive production of Whiteside so crucial. Imagine if he wasn’t anchoring this defense. The opposing team’s point total in games would easily balloon up into the 140s.

Another advantage for Whiteside to win this postseason award come June is the fact that this award is historically dominated by centers. It takes a unique type of talent to get this honor at any other position.

Over the last 25 years this award has been crowned to 19 centers, and when it comes down to it, Whiteside has statistically been the most overwhelming defender at the center position this year.

Overall, the linear improvement we’re seeing from Whiteside will continue to help give this Trail Blazers team the life support on defense it desperately needs, and hopefully pile on the wins in the process. If Rip City is successful in that endeavor, the end result may involve a particular piece of hardware in Hassan’s trophy case.