Doc Rivers on DeAndre Jordan: 'He's clearly the defensive player of the year'
The otherworldly run that DeAndre Jordan is on hasn't gone unnoticed - least of all by his coach.
Jordan continued his freakish play in Sunday's victory over the Chicago Bulls, scoring nine points while grabbing 26 rebounds and blocking two shots to help the Los Angeles Clippers win for the sixth time in their last eight games. He's secured at least 15 rebounds in eight straight contests - averaging 20.5 over that stretch in addition to 17.3 points on 68.7 percent shooting and 2.1 blocks.
The 6-foot-11 center was left off the loaded Western Conference All-Star roster, but a more prestigious accolade should be on its way at season's end, in Clippers coach Doc Rivers' opinion.
"He's clearly the defensive player of the year," Rivers said, according to Arash Markazi of ESPN. "If anybody else gets that award, we need to have an investigation. ... What he's doing defensively, if he was doing that offensively, he would be recognized as the MVP or one of them, but because it's defense, no one notices."
Los Angeles hasn't missed a beat since All-Star power forward Blake Griffin went down with elbow surgery, going 6-3 with him sidelined. Jordan has been a big reason why.
He ranks No. 1 in the league in field goal percentage (72.0) and rebounds per game (14.2), and is third in blocks (2.3). Only six players since 1985-86 have averaged that many rebounds in a full season and Jordan's field goal percentage is the second-highest single-season mark in NBA history.
The 26-year-old is allowing 99 points per 100 possessions, the second-best mark of his career and a top-10 rating in the league this season. His 3.7 defensive win shares rank second, and tops among all bigs, catapulting his overall worth and making him one of the most valuable players in the NBA.
Perennial All-Star and teammate Chris Paul said there's nobody in the league like Jordan.
"You start to take him for granted. I know I do," Paul said. "There's times where I have to sit back and realize I've never a played a game as a Clipper without him. As much as I'm on him sometimes, it's because I trust him and believe in him. I know I take him for granted. I couldn't imagine playing without him."