Los Angeles Lakers are sweeping the awards early in season
Anthony Davis
Here are the early Defensive Player of the Year Rankings
- Anthony Davis
- Rudy Gobert
- Joel Embiid
- Kawhi Leonard
Rudy Gobert‘s defensive metrics don’t jump off the screen like the other players on this list. He’s only averaging 1.3 blocks per game, and he’s ranked 96th in defensive rating early in the season.
However, the Jazz have the 2nd rated defense in the NBA, and Gobert is their leader. The Jazz are 11-5, while only scoring 106.4 points per game (second to last in the Western Conference). Gobert’s a close second to Anthony Davis in these rankings.
Joel Embiid is 10th in the NBA in defensive win shares (0.184), and he anchors the 76ers eleventh-ranked defense. However, he’s only allowing his assignments to shoot two percent lower than their average, which is third on his own team behind Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson.
Kawhi Leonard is the best wing defender in the league, but the Clippers rank 10th in the NBA in defensive rating. Kawhi doesn’t impact the game on defense as much as Davis, Gobert, and Embiid.
The Lakers have the number one rated defense in the NBA, and Anthony Davis is the linchpin behind LA’s stifling D. He leads the NBA in blocks at three per contest. He’s 32nd in the association in defensive win shares at 0.149. And he’s holding his assignments to a staggering 14.2 percent below their shooting average, good for first in the NBA (minimum seven games played).
Anthony Davis has stolen the title of “Most Versatile Defender in the NBA” from Draymond Green this season. He’s shut down the likes of Kawhi Leonard and Devin Booker on the perimeter, and he’s also disrupted LaMarcus Aldridge and Kristaps Porzingis down on the block.
Davis’s ability to alter shots at the rim is the number one reason why the Lakers have the best defense in the NBA. AD’s interior defense is different from Embiid’s and Gobert’s, who both leverage their height and reach to bother opponent’s shots.
“The Brow” also uses his colossal wingspan to get blocks. Still, his explosive jumping ability and unique agility allow him to cover ground and alter everything at the rim in a way other big men can only dream about.
AD’s distinctive ability to cover a considerable area around the rack allows Danny Green, Alex Caruso, Avery Bradley, and the rest of the Lakers perimeter defenders to crowd their assignments as they dribble around the 3-point line. Consequently, making it difficult for them to shoot threes, initiate pick and rolls, and to hit cutters.
The Defensive Player of the Year Award is Anthony Davis’s to lose at this point in the season.