2024-25 NBA DPOY and All-Defense discussion

[TroubleS0me]

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[cupcakesnake]

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In terms of the pure skill of harrassing ball handlers (and the necessary screen navigation that comes with that), is Dort the very best?

There's a bunch of dudes who are good at this. Caruso, GP2, Jaden, Herb, Jrue, Suggs, Brooks, KCP, NAW, Jaylen Wells, Camara. But I think Dort has a case for the best type of this defender. For such a thick man, he's so good at "getting skinny" around screens, and he walls up and gets up under his defender like almost no one else. He's the strongest guy out of anyone on this list (Brooks is the only other guy close to his thickness).

Herb is the other guy I'd consider, but he's injured this year and we haven't seen him in as many high-profile matches in the playoffs (where we've seen Dort absolutely harass prime Harden and Luka).

[falcolombardi]

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“And you know, we should give a DPOY award to the best defender who’s under six foot!””

“And another one who’s defending through injuries!”

“And another one if it’s a kid under 22, because it takes time to be a good defender!”

“And thirty to the best defensive player on every team, because it’s hard to be a good defender if your team sucks!”


Welcome to the “everyone gets a ribbon” generation.

The Defensive Player of the Year goes to a center because THEY BRING THE MOST TO A TEAM’s DEFENSE. Nate Duncan last year said that if they made the All Defense Team non-positional, like All NBA, ten centers would win the awards. Centers often guard their man, and every other attacker that gets past the other four teammates, and is driving to the rim for a high percentage shot.

Sorry Jalen and Jaylen. Life is unfair, but you aren’t the Defensive Player of the Year, and don’t get an award by making extra trophies. Get your pats on the head for All Star Game nominations, which don’t reward defense.

I blame jordan for starting the trend of crying to the league to get defensive awards tbh

[Dacost]

Not quite all-defense level (especially not on a bad team) but I wanted to note that Scottie Barnes is looking pretty likely to deliver on the defensive potential he had coming into the league.

Scottie is a really useful source of mobile length. I really enjoy watching him on the backline or the weakside with those crazy long arms up in the air. He's constantly rotating and ready to disrupt plays. His stride length and vertical athleticism means he can rotate from anywhere to mess up a play. He's a very good defensive playmaker and gets a decent amount of steals, blocks, and deflections. More importantly though, he's really good at being in the way. I've seen a lot of possessions where he diverts plays or stops them from getting started because he's just in the way of where the ball handler or cutter wants to go, and his length is intimidating.

As a man defender, he's solid across 4 positions. Still a little shakey against elite first steps, but he's incredibly sound in the post and against ball handling wings. Those legs are so long and he has a crazy defensive stance. He doesn't get bullied by anyone.

I know this is late but after reading this I catch a couple of raptors game and in one of them I saw Scotty getting destroy by Jaren Jackson Jr..

Dude got owned badly and it wasn't even close I just don't think he has the tools to guard 1 to 4.

1 to 3 yes.

[falcolombardi]

It would be very weird if dort didnt make all-D. He is a great defender who has never made the team playing in by far the league best defense

My current picks would be somethingh like this

Wenbayama/gobert/amen/ jalen/dort

Jaren jackson/ mobley/ jonathan isaac/dyson willians/ caruso


I think he and jalen both get in, chet and ihart miss it likely because the missed games albeit

[jayu70]

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[yoyoboy]

Dort/Jalen Williams/Jackson Jr/Mobley/Wembanyama
SGA/Nembhard/Cason Wallace/Amen Thompson/Gobert

Caruso just has not played anywhere near enough minutes for me to consider him. The Hawks' defense being 5 points worse with Dyson on the court makes me a little hesitant about his real impact beyond the steals. Even if you isolate his minutes with/without Trae, it looks no better, and opponent 3P shooting luck while working against him a little bit isn't anything crazy.

I also swapped out Ausar for Cason Wallace. The minutes/games played are the difference.

[hugepatsfan]

It would be very weird if dort didnt make all-D. He is a great defender who has never made the team playing in by far the league best defense

My current picks would be somethingh like this

Wenbayama/gobert/amen/ jalen/dort

Jaren jackson/ mobley/ jonathan isaac/dyson willians/ caruso


I think he and jalen both get in, chet and ihart miss it likely because the missed games albeit

At 19 minutes/game and only played in 33/54 games, it's a joke to suggest Caruso gets all defense. His defensive skills are what they are and put him that high in a pure ranking, but awards are for this season with that playing time he's an unserious suggestion for this.

[Repeat 3-peat]

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[Ticket]

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Yeah baby!! I was so hyped to see this vid. Camara deserves the exposure, had some insane defensive plays against the best of the best this year.

[benhillboy]

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Great post. I wished more NBA fans realized that Nembhard passes the eye test too.
Props to Van Fleet for stepping up defensively: Udoka probably brow beat him into knowing he couldn’t lead that team without doing so.
I can’t wait for Cupcake to retire. One of the most overrated of all freaking time. Absolutely useless defender without Draymond.

[basketballwacko2]

I don't really know how to tell how is really good at D in the NBA. I can tell when a guy isn't very good but it's hard to tell for me who is really good.

So I'm asking you guys to give me some names at each position who you think are good defenders.

[Bornstellar]

Centers: Wembanyama, Gobert, Camara, Isaac
Forwards: Adebayo, Draymond, Chet, Davis, OG, Dort, Amen Thompson
Guards: J-Dub, Caruso, SGA, Dillon Brooks, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Suggs

[Ruma85]

I don't really know how to tell how is really good at D in the NBA. I can tell when a guy isn't very good but it's hard to tell for me who is really good.

So I'm asking you guys to give me some names at each position who you think are good defenders.

At each position, off top of my head, Goodwin not a really known name by it's the reason he has been able to stick around from the G league/league through these years, Daniels from the Hawks who's a absolutely machine on the defensive end, The guy from Portland Camera, which the Suns organization traded as a side piece for Nurkić oh boy , Tatum/Giannis at pf though i wanted to put Tatum on the sf position but i had to give some shine to Camera, Center is a easier choice with Victor the point is there's great defensive players i could've gone with in a different ways even if the league has leaned more towards the offensive side of the ball, there's still a-lot of really talented/gifted players on the other side of game.

[Ruma85]

Centers: Wembanyama, Gobert, Camara, Isaac
Forwards: Adebayo, Draymond, Chet, Davis, OG, Dort, Amen Thompson
Guards: J-Dub, Caruso, SGA, Dillon Brooks, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Suggs

Bornsteller Camara at 5 due to his versatility, I'm i assuming that correctly?

[Bornstellar]

Centers: Wembanyama, Gobert, Camara, Isaac
Forwards: Adebayo, Draymond, Chet, Davis, OG, Dort, Amen Thompson
Guards: J-Dub, Caruso, SGA, Dillon Brooks, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Suggs

Bornsteller Camara at 5 due to his versatility, I'm i assuming that correctly?

Shoot, that was a mistake he should be with the forwards good catch

[Iwasawitness]

Centers: Wembanyama, Gobert, Camara, Isaac
Forwards: Adebayo, Draymond, Chet, Davis, OG, Dort, Amen Thompson
Guards: J-Dub, Caruso, SGA, Dillon Brooks, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Suggs

Bornsteller Camara at 5 due to his versatility, I'm i assuming that correctly?

Shoot, that was a mistake he should be with the forwards good catch

Forget that, where the hell is Mobley?

[Bornstellar]

Bornsteller Camara at 5 due to his versatility, I'm i assuming that correctly?

Shoot, that was a mistake he should be with the forwards good catch

Forget that, where the hell is Mobley?

I knew I was forgetting some players

[ijspeelman]

San Antonio Spurs All-Star Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss reminder of the season with a deep vein thrombosis in right shoulder.
https://bsky.app/profile/shamsbot.bsky.social/post/3limtusv3ec2h

This changes things...

[Woodsanity]

Really wonder who can win it now with Wemby out.