Even if it may sound like a cliche, the offense wins games but the defense wins championship. Fans nowadays watch the game mostly because of the poster dunks and the three-point shootouts, but there’s more than basketball than just that.
The defense is what makes some NBA teams stand out from the rest of the pack. It’s also what makes a good team a great team, and what can set the tone during a seven-game series in the playoffs.
That’s why today, we’re going to let you know about the top 3 best defensive teams in the 2021 NBA season, and it’s not a coincidence to see that two of them also boast the best records in the league.
The Top 3 Best Defenses In The NBA
3. Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz currently have the best record in the league at 35-11 and even though their offense has been significantly better than its been in the past, most of that credit should go to their defense.
The Jazz have a respectable 109.13 defensive rating this season and that’s one of the biggest arguments as to why Rudy Gobert should be a leading candidate to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.
2. Philadelphia 76ers
Imagine having not one but two legit Defensive Player of the Year candidates on your starting five. That’s the case with the Philadelphia 76ers with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid carrying the load for them.
The Sixers have the second-best defense in the league right now with a 108.45 defensive rating. They’re currently leading the Eastern Conference with a 32-14 record and look like a legit championship contender.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers entered the season as the team to beat. They’re the defending champions and quite overpowered, and the additions they’ve made in the offseason only made them scarier.
Right now, they have a defensive rating of 106.89, and even though they owe most of that to Anthony Davis and LeBron James, they’ve still managed to hold the front without their superstar duo.
