Tyson Chandler Named Defensive Player of the Year

Tyson Chandler is a talented player. He proved that last season as an integral part of the Dallas Mavericks NBA Championship season. When Dallas opted not to sign him this season the New York Knicks were more than happy to snatch him right up.

It paid as the Knicks were able to make their way back to the post season for the second season in a row after being absent from the playoffs for the previous six seasons. It paid off for Chandler as well. His contribution to the team earned him the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The news was leaked Tuesday night, but was made official on Wednesday. Chandler brought an end to Dwight Howard's strangle hold on the award; Superman had won it the last three seasons.

Over the course of the season Chandler averaged close to a double-double with 11.3 points and 9.9 rebounds a game to go with 1.4 blocks.

His biggest contribution can be seen in the team's overall defensive effort. Last season the Knicks were among the worst in the NBA allowing 105.7 points a game. This season they were in the upper half of the league allowing 94.7.

The vote was pretty close. Chandler took 45 first place voted and 311 points just beating Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka who had 41 first place voted and 294 points. Howard came in a distant third (186 points; 18 first place votes). LeBron James (112 points; 7 first place votes) and Kevin Garnett (44 points; 2 first place votes) rounded out the top five.

Article by Travis Pulver