Warriors' Green on DPOY snub: 'Al Gore won the popular vote and didn't get elected president'

No one received more first-place votes for Defensive Player of the Year than versatile Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green.

Yet by virtue of inexplicably being left off 42 ballots - which contain three players each - Green finished second to worthy candidate Kawhi Leonard in a narrow race.

Green, who can competently defend four positions (and sometimes all five), has every reason to feel snubbed, but the 25-year-old instead showed maturity - and political awareness - when asked about the results.

But all kidding aside, Green also took the time to show Leonard the proper respect.

Disappointed? Yeah...but to be angry? That man's a champion and we all strive to be that. You can't knock that. He's done that at the highest level. He's helped carry his team to a championship on the defensive end.

Green averaged a career-high 11.7 points and 3.7 assists on a True Shooting Percentage of 54.0, but it was his defensive prowess that proved most valuable for the league-leading Warriors.

The Michigan State product, who collected an impressive 22.4 percent of available defensive rebounds, averaged 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks, while the Warriors allowed 6.9 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the court as opposed to on the bench. 

A third-year pro, Green's individual defensive rating of 97.2 ranked fourth.

If the Warriors continue their march to a title and Green receives the lucrative, potentially max contract he's expected to in restricted free agency, he should be able to get over his second-place finish rather quickly.