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Dwight Howard had a big smile on his face a day after making his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers , but hestill feels the sting of how things ended in Orlando when he thinks about his trophy shelf.Espn
Howard was recognized as the best defender in the league as well as the best interior defender when NBA.com announced the results of its annual survey of the league's 30 general managers Monday, but Howard still wants toknow why he isn't the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
"I thought I should have won it last year, to be honest with you," Howard told reporters after practice Monday. "I was a little bit upset about that."
Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks was named the league's DPOY last season, ending Howard's three-year run as the award winner. Chandler earned 45 first place votes and 311 total points to take home the trophy.
Oklahoma City's Serge Ibaka was second with 41 first place votes and 294 points. Howard received just 18 first place votes and 186 points.
"I felt like I did my job to win it. I also feel like I didn't because of the whole situation," Howard said, referring to the uncertainty surrounding his future with the Magic and the distraction it became. "That played a factor in it."
The award was voted on by a panel of 121 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.
Howard averaged more rebounds(14.5 to 9.9) and blocks (2.2 to 1.4) per game than Chandler, but played in just 54 games because of his back injury. Chandler, who played in 62 games, was credited for turning around the Knicks' team defense, helping New York rank among the league's best in opponent turnovers per game (17.0, second in the NBA), opponent field goal percentage (44.2 percent, 10th), and opponent scoring (94.7 points per game, 11th).
Howard, who said his "whole body" was sore after filling up thebox score with 19 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in 33 minutes in his first game as a Laker on Sunday, wants to add to win the award in Los Angeles thisseason. Michael Cooper is the onlyLaker to be named Defensive Player of the Year, following the 1986-87 season.