TITLE: Holmgren, Stewart Capture NBA Defensive Player of the Month Awards for December
SLUG: holmgren-stewart-earn-defensive-player-of-the-month-honors
CONTENT:
The NBA on Tuesday named Oklahoma City Thunder rookie center Chet Holmgren and Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart the Defensive Players of the Month for December in the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively.
Western Conference
Holmgren anchored a Thunder defense that recorded a conference-best 106.2 defensive rating during the month. The 7-footer averaged 2.0 blocks—second-highest in the West—and 8.5 contested shots per game, good for seventh. Oklahoma City, which started December with a 20-1 overall mark, went 9-4 over the 13-game stretch. The club allowed only 101.7 points per 100 possessions with Holmgren on the floor, compared with 107.6 when he sat.
Other Western nominees included Clippers guard Kris Dunn and former Defensive Player of the Year winners Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves), Draymond Green (Warriors), and Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies).
Eastern Conference
Stewart earned his first monthly honor despite coming off the bench in 12 of 13 games and averaging 23.0 minutes. He ranked second in the East in both blocks (2.2) and contested shots (9.4) per contest. Detroit finished the month 9-4 with the league’s third-best defensive rating at 109.8; the Pistons posted a 104.5 defensive rating when Stewart played versus 112.2 when he rested.
Fellow Eastern nominees were Knicks teammates OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, and Celtics guard Derrick White. Brooklyn, which registered the NBA’s top defensive rating in December at 105.4, did not have a nominee.
Source: Hoops Rumors
