According to multiple reports, Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol will be named this year's NBA's Defensive Player of the Year.
The award will be presented to him during a press conference prior to Game 3 in Memphis during their first round matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers, which the Grizzlies trail the series 2-0.
Gasol was the anchor of one of the league's stingiest defenses, as Memphis gave up 95.4 points per 100 possessions. When on the floor, Gasol averaged 1.7 blocks and 7.8 rebounds on a nightly basis.
Meanwhile, it would appear that this year's Most Improved Player award will be handed to Indiana Pacers' forward Paul George.
This season in George's third year with the Pacers he averaged a career-high in points averaging 17.4 points per game, which is five points above his average the season before. He has been a critical component in the Pacers' offense, in the absence of Danny Granger who missed the majority of the season with a lingering knee injury.
During their Game 1 playoff opener against the Atlanta Hawks, George recorded the first triple-double for the franchise in the playoffs in the last 15 years, scoring 23 points with 12 assists and 11 rebounds.
He'll become the fourth Pacer to win the award since it was given out during the 1985-86 NBA season. Jalen Rose got the award in 2000 with Jermaine O'Neal getting it two years later while Granger got the award in 2009.
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