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LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. -- There were some emotional moments and some funny stories as Joakim Noah accepted the NBAs Defensive Player of the Year award on Monday, like this one. The Chicago Bulls centre recalled a grueling workout with coach Tom Thibodeau. "I told Thibs, If we werent winning games, I would really, really hate you," he said. "And he said, Trust me, Jo, I feel the same way about you." Noah laughed. So did Thibodeau. With their drive and desire, those two are in many ways a perfect match. And when it came to this years award, it was no contest. Noah got 100 of a possible 125 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters and wound up with 555 points. Indianas Roy Hibbert (166 points, eight first-place votes) and the Los Angeles Clippers DeAndre Jordan (121 points, eight first-place votes) came in second and third, respectively. "This is very humbling to be in this situation right now," Noah said as his famous father Yannick, his mom, his sisters and brother all watched from the front row. He told coach Tom Thibodeau: "Without your system, this wouldnt be possible." The only other Bulls player to win the award was Michael Jordan in 1988. Besides joining the greatest player in franchise history, Noahs name gets added to an impressive list of centres to take the honour. It includes stars such as Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Dwight Howard. And now, Noah. The recognition comes after Noah helped Chicago win 48 games and earn home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs despite losing Derrick Rose to a season-ending knee injury and trading away Luol Deng. The Bulls won more games than any other Eastern Conference team after New Years Eve before stumbling in the post-season opener against Washington. Game 2 is Tuesday, another test for a team and a player who have passed their share. Noah had some issues with teammates and coaches after he was drafted out of Florida in 2007. But theres little question who the teams most valuable player was this season. When the Bulls looked like they might fall apart, Noah kept them together. The irony is the defensive player award comes at a time when hes getting as much praise for his ability on offence, a weakness his first few years in the league. Noah averaged career highs of 12.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Hes a focal point on offence and one of the leagues best passing big men, with the ball often being funneled through him. He also remains their anchor on defence with his ability to cover ground and rotate onto smaller players in pick-and-roll situations creates havoc for opponents. He averaged 1.5 blocks. "Its been really fun for all of his to watch him and his game evolve and grow over the years," general manager Gar Forman said. "Hes a competitor. Hes passionate. Hes intelligent and hes a leader. But along with that, what Joakim probably is is the best teammate that Ive had a chance to witness in the 16 years that Ive been with the Chicago Bulls." The recognition comes at a difficult time for Noah, whose youth basketball mentor and second father figure Tyrone Green recently died. He dedicated the award to him, recalled sleeping on his couch in the summer as a teenager and forgoing trips with his mom and sister to work on his game. Green believed he could make Noah into an NBA player even if his own father had doubts. "We were watching a game," said Yannick Noah, the former tennis star. "(Joakim) was 15 or 16 years old. Mr. Green told me, Ill get him there, well get him there. I said, Where are you gonna get him -- to the next tournament or the ABCD camp or something? And he said, No, were gonna get him there to the NBA, and I never believed that." Why not? "He was too skinny, couldnt shoot," Yannick Noah said. "He couldnt jump, couldnt do a lot of things. The only thing I knew he had was his drive." Look where it got him. Cheap Air Max 2017 . The Italian side scored twice in a four-minute span in the second half to defeat former stars from S. Cheap Air Max 90 . The move is retroactive to Aug. 1. Hosmer was originally hit on the hand in the first inning of a July 20 loss to Boston. He has played most of the time since, but missed a few contests due to the injury, then departed Thursdays win over the Twins and had tests that revealed the fracture. http://www.airmaxclearance.us/. Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks were proof of that on Wednesday night. Nike Air Max Outlet . "Canada," Bolland said with a smile. "Is that a question?" One day earlier, though, fellow Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri wasnt so sure his home and native land could pull off the win against the United States in the semi-finals of the Olympic hockey tournament. Air Max 90 Clearance . - Josh Sterk scored twice to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 7-1 rout of the Ottawa 67s in Mondays Ontario Hockey League action.After months of negotiations and speculation and a salary arbitration hearing, P.K. Subban is going to be a long-term Montreal Canadien. The restricted free agent defenceman agreed to terms on an eight-year, $72 million contract with the team on Saturday, avoiding a salary arbitration ruling. Subbans average annual value is $9 million. "I think that it sends a strong message to me that they want me here and they appreciate everything Ive done to this point and they believe in me as a player," Subban said on a conference call Saturday evening. "I think Ive always believed that, but obviously in this process and coming out with this result, now everybody else understands it and can see it as well and doesnt have to speculate about how the Montreal Canadiens feel about me." The Canadiens and Subbans camp met for their arbitration hearing on Friday in Toronto. Both sides voiced their arguments to appointed arbitrator Elizabeth Neumeier in a four-hour session. According to reports, the Canadiens submitted their arbitration brief earlier this week with a salary of $5.25 million on a one-year contract, while Subban - represented by agent Don Meehan of Newport Sports - asked for $8.5 million on a one-year term. From the end of Fridays arbitration hearing, Neumeier was given 48 hours to reach her decision. The Canadiens and Subban had until a decision by Neumeier was announced to sign a new contract, otherwise the arbitration contract would have been binding and the two ssides could not negotiate a new deal until January 1.dddddddddddd "We are very pleased to have reached a long term agreement with P.K. Subban," Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said in a statement. "This agreement helps consolidate the future of our team. A key element of our group of young veterans, P.K. plays with a high level of intensity every time he steps onto the ice. Despite his young age, he carries a great deal of experience and brings contagious energy to the team. Defensemen of his level are a rare commodity in the NHL." Subban, who signed a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $2.875 million contract prior to the 2012-2013 season, scored 10 goals and added 43 assists in 82 games with the Canadiens in 2013-14. "I knew that even before the arbitration that something was going to get done," Subban said. "We were always working on a long-term deal. These types of deals dont get done overnight, they dont get done over a few days. It takes months sometimes to get these deals done. Im happy that its done now and everybodys happy about it." He also added five goals and 14 points in 17 playoff games and was part of the Canadian mens Olympic team that won gold in Sochi in February. Subban was awarded the 2013 Norris Trophy as the NHLs top defenceman after notching 11 goals and 27 assists in 42 games. Drafted in the second round (43rd overall) in 2007, Subban has scored 42 goals and 167 assists in 284 career games. ' ' '