Scottie Barnes and Cason Wallace Earn Defensive Players of the Month Honors

Scottie Barnes of the Toronto Raptors and Cason Wallace from the Oklahoma City Thunder have been recognized for their exceptional defensive gameplay. They were named the Defensive Players of the Month for October and November by the NBA.

Scottie Barnes: Eastern Conference Standout

Barnes, a 6’8″ forward, played a crucial role in the Raptors’ impressive 14-7 record during this span. His defensive prowess helped the team achieve the sixth-best defensive rating in the league, recorded at 111.5.

• Defensive Rankings: Barnes ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference with an average of 4.0 deflections per game.
• Defensive Stats: He was the only NBA player to accumulate at least 30 steals and 30 blocks during this period.

Cason Wallace: Western Conference Defensive Leader

Wallace emerged as a key defender for the Thunder, who finished November with an outstanding 20-1 record. Their defensive rating of 103.6 was nearly seven points better than the next closest team.

• Team Performance: Oklahoma City’s record was the best in the league, showcasing a dominant team effort.
• Individual Achievements: Wallace led the NBA in steals per game with an average of 2.2 and had 5.0 deflections per game, the highest in the Western Conference.

First-Time Award Winners

This recognition marks the first time either Scottie Barnes or Cason Wallace has received the Defensive Player of the Month award. The award was introduced at the beginning of the previous season.

Additional Nominations

Several other players were in contention for the award. In the Eastern Conference, nominees included:

• Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
• Bam Adebayo (Heat)
• Dyson Daniels (Hawks)
• Isaiah Stewart (Pistons)

Mobley and Daniels have both previously earned this honor twice last season. In the Western Conference, Wallace’s teammates Luguentz Dort and Chet Holmgren received nominations, alongside Amen Thompson from the Rockets, who was the only non-Thunder nominee.

Overall, the achievements of both Scottie Barnes and Cason Wallace highlight their significant contributions to their teams’ early success this season.