The defensive ability of Rockets center Chuck Hayes, who, at 6-foot-6, stands shorter than some shooting guards, has kept him in the league for six seasons already. Today, he earned some recognition from the media for his work in defending the post.
↵↵No, he didn't win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, as the Magic's Dwight Howard took it home for the third consecutive season. However, he earned the distinction of being the only player apart from Howard to receive more than one first-place vote. Hayes earned two. The other first-place votes went to Kevin Garnett; Grant Hill; Joakim Noah; and Keith Bogans, who, like Hayes, is a former Kentucky Wildcat.
↵↵Overall, Hayes finished tied with Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets for 12th in the voting, receiving 13 award points. On the ballots, each first-place vote counts for five points, second-place for three, and third-place for one.
↵↵Unsurprisingly, no other Rocket received any Defensive Player of the Year votes. Rick Adelman's club struggled on that end due to poor rebounding and an inability to force turnovers.