Draymond Green vs Amen Thompson: Which player deserves DPOY more?

Draymond Green and Amen Thompson faced off on Sunday in a crucial Western Conference showdown. With the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets going all out for a win, the game turned into a defensive struggle. Green and Thompson, unsurprisingly, stood out in the gritty encounter.

Green is the favorite to win his second Defensive Player of the Year award, after winning in 2017. BetMGM has him at -175 to win the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, while Thompson is outside the top 5 in the latest release.

The Houston Rockets forward stole the limelight on defense on Sunday. He had a hand in limiting Steph Curry to just three points in 33 minutes. Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga also had rough-shooting nights against Houston’s elite defense led by Thompson.

Still, Draymond Green might get the DPOY nod over Amen Thompson and every other contender. Green quarterbacks the Warriors' defense, which is not arguably as stacked defensively as Houston's.

The 35-year-old veteran often covers up for the mistakes of his teammates. Coach Steve Kerr deploys the 6-foot-6 Green in the middle to anchor a defense that's seventh in defensive rating.

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Draymond Green’s case over Amen Thompson for DPOY

Amen Thompson plays for a team that has Tari Eason, Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. When Thompson suffered an injury, Houston Rockets Ime Udoka coach gave the unenviable defensive assignments to Brooks or Eason, and the Rockets kept rolling defensively. Houston is 9-2 without Thompson on the floor.

Alperen Sengun leads the Rockets in defensive win shares (4.3), while Eason tops the team in Defensive Box Plus/Minus (2.7). Thompson ranks second in both categories, underlining his importance. Still, Houston hasn't been crippled when the 6-foot-8 emerging star has sat out.

Meanwhile, the Warriors have used Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga and Jimmy Butler on the toughest defensive assignments without Draymond Green. None of the three offers the same versatility as the power forward, who can shadow guards and centers with equal effectiveness. Golden State is 6-8 without the 2017 DPOY winner.

Green leads the Dubs in defensive win shares (3.1) and defensive box plus/minus (2.7), but when he sits, the Warriors usually stutter.

Draymond Green’s DPOY contention hardly took a hit in the loss to the Rockets. Green limited Alperen Sengun to 19 points on 7-for-17 shooting. Amen Thompson, meanwhile, improved his stock with an impressive outing against the Dubs, but Green likely has the upper hand in the race.

Golden State’s defense has failed without Green, while Houston’s has largely remained stout sans Thompson. Green was named the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month in March, the timing of which could be crucial.The four-time champ will likely get the votes for DPOY over Thompson.