Who would be the NBA Defensive player of the year this season
                     WHO WOULD BE THE NBA 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF 
THE YEAR THIS SEASON?
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More than half of the NBA season is done away with, while Utah Jazz remains the 
best team in the league so far, others are gaining ground slowly and steadily. 
However, any NBA title winner would tell you defense still remains an important 
pillar for success and as the age-old saying goes defense wins the match, while the 
offense is important as well but it wouldn't mean anything without a good 
defense system in place. 
Defense is a team effort in the end but we cannot truly undermine individual 
efforts and hence bring to you an evaluation of the defensive players of this 
season who have caught our attention.
Philadelphia 76ers’ Ben 
Simmons-
Philadelphia 76ers are at the top 
this season with a great record in 
the Eastern Conference and under 
Doc Rivers they seem to be thriving 
after being eliminated from the first 
round of the playoffs last season by 
Celtics. Ben Simmons has played an 
important role in Sixers success so 
far this season with great defensive 
work.
the most noteworthy of his work was his stellar work while holding off Damian 
Lillard, and soon after that, he delivered against Dallas’ Luka Doncic who was 
stunned with his work on the court. So far, he has an average of 6.2 Defensive 
Rebounds and 7.9 Rebounds with 0.7 Blocks and 1.5 Steals per game his numbers 
so far remain close to his career average.
Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert,
Rudy Gobert is a two-time Defensive 
Player of the Year award winner and 
continues to be a part of the list that 
features best defenders of the 
current NBA season. The Jazz player 
comes in the category of rim 
protectors and plays the part quite 
well. Gobert has the ability to 
inspire a good defensive play 
leaving their opponents starving for 
points as rarely does he lets the ball 
pass by him.
He is in contention for the third Defensive Player of the Year award as he 
continues to have a good season. He is lethal this season as well and has posted 
better numbers from his career averages, he has an average of 9.8 Defensive 
Rebounds and 13.3 Rebounds with 2.9 Blocks and 0.5 Steals. He has the second-
highest Rebounds after Clint Capela and has the second-highest Blocks as well 
after Myles Turner who leads with 3.5.
 Indiana Pacers’ Myles Turner
One of the best rim protectors in the NBA, he has remained in form for Indiana 
Pacers this season. Currently he is leading the league with 3.5 blocks per night 
and is being followed by Gobert. The 6-foot-11 center player put on a defensive 
performance of the season against Mavericks in March that put him in contention 
for Defensive Player of the year while for some Rudy Gobert or Ben Simmons 
remains favorites but Myles Turner has carved a place for himself in the list by 
taking his game to the next level this season. He has hit his career-high numbers 
in blocks, and has averaged 5.1 Defensive Rebounds per game with 6.5 Rebounds 
and 0.9 Steals per game
 Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid
No wonder the Sixers are leading the show in the East with two of their players 
making the best defensive player’s list this season. Doc has effectively worked on 
their defense and groomed Joel Embiid for the role and the player wants to win 
Defensive Player of the Year and is making the play for it. The Big man on average 
has 9.3 Defensive rebounds with 11.5 rebounds per game, 1.4 Blocks and 1.2 
steals per game and is doing better than his career average this season and 
wishes to win Defensive Player of the Year this season.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron 
James,
With AD sidelined for a major part 
of the season, James has been 
leading the team and was part of the 
top 5 in blocks, defensive rebounds, 
field-goal percentage, opponents’ 
free throw attempts and opponents’ 
effective field-goal percentage as 
well before he too was sidelined due 
to an injury.
James has been a key part of Laker’s defense for the second season this time. His 
build, strength, ability to lead the team has helped the Lakers claim the title last 
season after a 10-year break. But he has the ability to even hold off players like 
Stephen Curry, Kyle Kuzma which makes him part of the defense list. He even held 
Nikola Jokic one time to post his worst numbers of the season which further 
fueled his chances to be considered as a defensive player. This season he has an 
average of 7.3 Defensive rebounds, 7.9 rebounds with 0.6 blocks, and 1 Steal per 
game.
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