The Defense thread 2024 (Final DPOY vote)

[cupcakesnake]

A safe place to Discuss Defense, DPOY, all-Defense, and to highlight players and teams getting it Done on the less glamorous enD of the court.

No one cares about offense anyways!

Don't get maD if your favorite DefenDer isn't in the poll (cough* Ausar Thompson fans, apparently), but Do make an argument for why your favorite DefenDer should be incluDeD. There are only 9 spots and we change the poll options 3-4 times over the season. There's no way to squeeze every elite Defender into 9 options, so smash that "other" and tell us what's what.



Others I wanteD to incluDe in the initial poll: Brook Lopez, Draymond, Gobert, Embiid, Claxton, Jrue, Smart, Myles Turner, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Herb Jones, Aaron Gordon, Jarett Allen, Poeltl, Mikal Bridges, Ben Simmons, Derrick White, Tatum, DFS, Patrick Williams, Jeremy Sochan. Tell me who I'm missing.

First DPOY poll results (November 13th):
Other 22%
OG Anunoby 19%
Victor Wembamyama 17%
Bam, AD, Jaden 8%

2nd DPOY poll results (December 14th)
Gobert 31%
Other 16%
OG, Bam 12%
Jaden 9%

3rd DPOY poll results (January 10th)
Gobert 33%
Other 12%
OG 10%
Suggs 9%

All-Defense Guards Poll (February 14th)
Alex Caruso 20%
Derrick White 20%
Jrue Holiday 15%
Jalen Suggs 14%

All-Defense Wings Poll (March 12th)
OG Anunoby 19%
Jaden McDaniels 16%
Herb Jones 15%
Jonathan Isaac 11%
Kawhi Leonard 10%

All-Defense Bigs Poll (April 12th)
Rudy Gobert - 27%
Victor Wembanyama - 23%
Bam Adabayo -14%
Anthony Davis 12%
Giannis and Jarrett Allen - 6%

[UcanUwill]

For what is worth, everyones favorite, least controversial player, Jonathan Isaac, is leading the league in Drtg. Hes been great on that crap team with Banchero suffering team USA 23 curse.

[cupcakesnake]

For what is worth, everyones favorite, least controversial player, Jonathan Isaac, is leading the league in Drtg. Hes been great on that crap team with Banchero suffering team USA 23 curse.

Yeah I havent watched a full Magic game yet but I've heard the whispers the Isaac is BACK. He's only playing 11mpg right now (mostly on an all bench lineup next to Mo Wagner) and I wonder whether the Magic want to expand his role. Seems tough for the Magic to make more minutes for yet another mediocre shooter.

[Residual-Heat]

For what is worth, everyones favorite, least controversial player, Jonathan Isaac, is leading the league in Drtg. Hes been great on that crap team with Banchero suffering team USA 23 curse.

Yeah I havent watched a full Magic game yet but I've heard the whispers the Isaac is BACK. He's only playing 11mpg right now (mostly on an all bench lineup next to Mo Wagner) and I wonder whether the Magic want to expand his role. Seems tough for the Magic to make more minutes for yet another mediocre shooter.

Sadly they're still limiting his minutes because of his injury history, and probably will continue to do so. The other Magic player to watch is Suggs.

[Karate Diop]

I haven't looked at where he is ranking statistically,.probably can't be that high since Nets' overall defense has been mediocre - but Dorian Finney-Smith has been a joy to watch defensively. Nets are starting him at center and he's just willing to bang against everybody.

[WillyJakkz]

Clever. Why no capital D in the players names like DraymonD RuDy etc?

[cupcakesnake]

Clever. Why no capital D in the players names like DraymonD RuDy etc?

I knew I would miss some and I knew I'd get caught!

[GSWFan1994]

Still too early to tell, but voting Bam, Giannis and OG for now.

[Statlanta]

I feel like this is another season where the voters just default to Giannis

[cupcakesnake]

I feel like this is another season where the voters just default to Giannis

I know what you mean but there's a good chance that this will be the worst Bucks defense of the Giannis era. There was always Bud's schemes and a monster POA defender (Bledsoe then Jrue). Now they're starting Lillard and Beasley, Middleton is creakier, and Lopez is another year older. So I think someone is going to have a better case.

If no exciting case gets made, I kinda want the default to be Bam Adebayo rather than Giannis. As much as Jimmy's offense gets nabs the headlines, Miami's defensive versatility (completely built around Bam's unique skillset) is the backbone of those runs to the finals.

But I think there will be some exciting campaigns made. It's a tough award to win so I hope people have to work for it lol.

[jasonxxx102]

Gonna put my homer hat on and say Mobley

[KamikazeK]

Where's derrick white?

[YogurtProducer]

For what is worth, everyones favorite, least controversial player, Jonathan Isaac, is leading the league in Drtg. Hes been great on that crap team with Banchero suffering team USA 23 curse.

Yeah I havent watched a full Magic game yet but I've heard the whispers the Isaac is BACK. He's only playing 11mpg right now (mostly on an all bench lineup next to Mo Wagner) and I wonder whether the Magic want to expand his role. Seems tough for the Magic to make more minutes for yet another mediocre shooter.

Sadly they're still limiting his minutes because of his injury history, and probably will continue to do so. The other Magic player to watch is Suggs.

Damn this dude was a rookie in 2017??? I could have sworn it was like 2020. I guess that is what having 150 career games in 6 years does

[eyeatoma]

Embiid has been a menace on the boards and his blocks have shot up, I'm surprised he's not on here.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

The Spurs have a 104.8 drtg when Wemby is on the court and a 128.4 when he's off, he's also limiting opponents to 20% when he's the closest defender. A rookie winning DPOY isn't supposed to happen, but the early numbers on him are jaw dropping defensively.

[LAvision]

The Spurs have a 104.8 drtg when Wemby is on the court and a 128.4 when he's off, he's also limiting opponents to 20% when he's the closest defender. A rookie winning DPOY isn't supposed to happen, but the early numbers on him are jaw dropping defensively.

I also read shooters are shooting 1-15 from 3s against him. He’s is an absolute gamewrecker.

[cupcakesnake]

Embiid has been a menace on the boards and his blocks have shot up, I'm surprised he's not on here.

First poll doesn't mean much more than a discussion starter. Embiid's in any discussion about defense and everyone knows his high end ability to be the scariest paint/rim protector in the NBA. Everyone knows his shortcomings too: endurance, on and off focus, sometimes struggles when drawn out to the perimeter. To make himself a real inner circle lock, I think most of us just want to see him keep it up and see where Phili shakes out defensively.

One thing that's a little interesting with Batum and Roco joining the Sixers is that this could now be a more defensive slanted team under Nick Nurse. I know those 2 guys are old but they're the kinds of forwards that could really compliment Embiid defensively with their ability to protect the rim. With one of them out there, Embiid doesn't have to be quite as conservative. Batum is also a really good post defender, meaning he can do that PJ Tucker thing against post players and let Joel roam. I'm kinda drooling thinking about it and I'm super down for a monster Embiid defensive season.

[cupcakesnake]

Where's derrick white?

White has been amazing. I didn't really want to put any guards on the list, but I picked one and that was Caruso. I think Caruso does everything White does and is a much better point of attack defender. That being said, White is going to play big minutes this year so he could make a case.

Caruso is the only guard I watch and wonder if the impact might be more like the elite bigs. White is fantastic (1.7 blocks and 1.7 steals so far!). His motor, smarts, hands, and versatility are top notch. On the ball, he's more solid than elite, and better at guarding up than guarding down (fast point guards can get him ).

[VanWest82]

Glad to see Caruso got included. Although I don't think a bench player will ever win DPOY, he's easily one the best defenders in the league and has been for years.

[zimpy27]

Chet has been excellent IMO

Highest block rate in the league, decent steals too.