I'm still convinced most people don't know how to judge the best defensive player award. It is simply an area that is so hard to judge ig you go on the meagre stats that are recorded.....
Mackinnon averaged 1.4 blocks (4th in league), 1.8 steals (4th in league) and 6.9 defensive rebounds (3rd in league) over the regular season.
Certainly wouldn't judge it on blocks. How many swats didn't he get and allowed an easy bucket or fouled for a 3 point play? Players that constantly go for the block give up more than what that one spectacular block gives to the team. Defensive boards certainly would weigh favourably to the fwd\centre positions disadvantaging the guards.
So I guess that only leaves steals and when your talking 2.1 to 1.8 that .3 of a steal I don't think you could say is a determining factor between player A and B.
Maybe the categories should be how many times a player denies his man the ball, how many times he pulls up penetration, how many times a player makes the correct defensive rotation, how many times contact is made on a block out, how much pressure is put on the ball. I think that's how a coach would rate a players defensive effort.
I'm sorry but I see players out there working a lot lot harder than Sammy which is benefiting there team more than what Sammy's effort does.
