With the Golden State Warriors rising up the Western Conference standings since the All-Star break, so too has Draymond Green been rising in favoritism for the Defensive Player of the Year title.
The veteran forward has been on a tear over the last couple of months, yet many critics believe that Green's surge into clear favoritism for the award has been more driven by his own (and others) media push, and the idea that his career output is worthy of more than one DPOY, just as much as his on-court form over the course of this season.
One stat proves Draymond Green's defensive brilliance
Green might be louder than anyone else when it comes to advocating for his own candidacy, but there's also little doubt that the 35-year-old is making a fairly compelling case for his second DPOY title.
Perhaps the biggest statistic in Green's favor though is actually a team one, with Golden State ranking first in defensive rating over an expansive 24-game period since February 12. While that's an important stat anyway, it's even bigger for Green who's been asked to play an arduous role during that time.
Since the acquisition of Jimmy Butler in early February, the Warriors have settled into a starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Butler, Moses Moody and Green. Butler is the tallest of that starting unit at 6'7", forcing Green to consistently play above his size against the some of the best big men in the NBA.
The best example of that came on March 18 when Green really put himself in the DPOY conversation with a defensive masterclass against Giannis Antetokounmpo. Green limited the 2x MVP to just 5-of-16 shooting from the floor, had two steals and four blocks himself, and ultimately played a huge role in Golden State's 104-93 victory.
While Green has constantly shown himself capable of guarding bigger players for well over a decade, the fact he's been able to lead such an undersized starting lineup to the best defensive rating in the league for nearly two months is a huge boost to his DPOY chances.
That lineup is also a perfect 14-0 in games started together, raising optimism in what the Warriors could possibly do entering the playoffs. Before then there's still plenty to play for as teams three through eight fight for playoff seeding in the Western Conference, while Green's DPOY case could still be strengthened as the likes of Evan Mobley, Lu Dort and Dyson Daniels continue to build their own argument.