NBA: Top 10 interior defenders so far this season

#5 Kevin Durant - Golden State Warriors

Durant contests a LeBron drive during the Christmas Day game

While the advanced statistics don't love Kevin Durant that much due to his up-and-down rebounding percentage, KD is a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year award this year for just his eye-catching swats (Durant ranks 5th in the league for blocks per game at 1.9).

As a weak-side defender, Durant often switches on to opposition centers sturdier than him, alters shots on a regular basis and his shot-blocking threat keeps perimeter players guessing as to what kind of finish they should execute whenever he switches on to them.

On his night, Durant is capable of guarding and reducing the effectiveness of the very best players plying their trade in the NBA, irrespective of their playing position. For that reason, it is imperative to rank him as one of the league's premier interior defenders.