A recent article by Yahoo’s Tom Haberstroh has stirred up controversy by questioning the legitimacy of Michael Jordan’s 1988 Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award. The piece claims that Jordan’s impressive defensive statistics were allegedly inflated by a generous scorekeeper at Chicago Stadium, leading to debate over whether his achievements that year were entirely earned.
#### The Basis of Jordan’s DPOY Award
At the end of the 1987-88 NBA season, Michael Jordan’s defensive statistics were extraordinary, with 3.2 steals and 1.6 blocks per game. These impressive numbers were key in earning him the DPOY award, with 37 votes, surpassing defensive stalwarts like Mark Eaton and Hakeem Olajuwon. His defensive performance that season was unmatched and significantly contributed to his selection.
#### Allegations of Padded Statistics
The controversy around Jordan’s stats first emerged through insights from Alex Rucker, a former Vancouver Grizzlies scorekeeper, and Reinis Lacis, a Latvian basketball executive and amateur statistician. Rucker highlighted the common practice of stat padding during games, while Lacis’s review of six full games from Jordan’s DPOY season suggested that Jordan was credited with 18 more steals than he actually made. The most compelling evidence, however, lies in the discrepancy between Jordan’s home and away game stats. In home games, Jordan recorded 165 steals and 87 blocks, compared to just 94 steals and 47 blocks on the road.
#### Examining the Validity of the DPOY Award
If Jordan’s inflated statistics played a crucial role in his winning the DPOY award, then it raises questions about the validity of the honor. Adjusting his 1987-88 averages to account for typical home-road discrepancies, his stats would have been closer to 2.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Despite this, it’s essential to recognize that other players of that era, including DPOY runner-up Mark Eaton and fourth-place Alvin Robertson, also exhibited significant home-road stat differences.
#### Contextualizing Jordan’s Achievements
Despite the controversy, it’s important to place Jordan’s achievements in the broader context of his 1987-88 season. He won the DPOY award by a significant margin, securing 37 out of 80 votes. Additionally, that year marked his first selection to the All-Defensive team and his first MVP award. These accomplishments suggest that while his defensive stats might have been slightly padded, his overall performance was still exceptional compared to his peers.
In conclusion, while Michael Jordan’s 1988 Defensive Player of the Year award is now subject to scrutiny, his broader contributions and accolades during the 1987-88 season underscore his remarkable prowess and impact on the court.
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