BEIJING, May 3-- Ben Wallace was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four years.

Wallace of the Detroit Pistons received a total of 339 points from a panel of 125 members of the media. San Antonio's Bruce Bowen was second with 247 and Denver's Marcus Camby finished third with 168.

Wallace, who was also the defensive player in 2002 and 2003, joins Dikembe Mutombo as the only two players to win the award three or more times.

During the regular season, he ranked fifth with 2.38 blocks per game, second with 12.2 rebounds a game and 23rd with 1.43 steals a game. The 6-foot-9, 240-pound Wallace ranks second in the playoffs with three blocks a game.

Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers won the award last year.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)