The old saying states that offense wins games, but defenses wins championships. And judging by most NBA championship teams, that continues to be a fact, even in an offensive-driven league.
Not many players take as much pride in their defense as others do in their scoring. The rules favor offensive players now more than ever, and playing defense seems like a lost art nowadays.
With the NBA season coming to an end, we take a look at every single one of the awards. Here, we discuss the top three candidates to win Defensive Player of the Year, and all three would be a solid choice.
NBA Awards: Top 3 Candidates For Defensive Player Of The Year
3. Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo— Getty Images
Bam Adebayo has flirted with winning Defensive Player of the Year way too often now, yet it seems like there’s always someone slightly better than him. Unfortunately, that’s the case again this season.
Adebayo is one of the finest rim protectors in the league. He can anchor the paint and even holds his own in the perimeter every now and then, but he lacks the defensive versatility of other candidates.
2. Jaren Jackson Jr.
Jaren Jackson Jr.— Getty Images
Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. was leading the race for the better part of the season until it came out that his stats in home games were a little bit inflated. But he’s an outstanding defender nonetheless.
Not only is Jackson Jr. a dominant shot-blocker, but he can also step all the way to the three-point line and get stops. He’s solid at switching and has the lateral quickness and length to stay in front of smaller players.
1. Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez— Getty Images
First and foremost, we have to tip our hat off to Brook Lopez. This guy has changed his game not once but twice to stay relevant and continue being one of the best and most underrated players in the league.
Lopez went from being a face-up, old-school scoring big with not much defensive expertise to a sharpshooting big who can play lockdown defense. He’s perhaps the first actual 3-and-D center in NBA history.
