NBA 2017-18: 5 Defensive Player of the Year candidates 

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Rudy Gobert and Draymond Green

#2 Rudy Gobert

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Sydney Kings v Utah Jazz
Rudy Gobert

The Utah Jazz might have lost their best player in Gordon Hayward but the team isn't giving up. The management's offseason moves have given the roster a lot of depth which could make up for Hayward's loss offensively. Defensively, they have no reason to worry about with their man in the middle - Rudy Gobert.

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None of the perimeter players on the Jazz are going to make All-Defensive Teams but they are more than able as a team to funnel any penetration towards Gobert and then 'The Stifel Tower' does the rest. Again, very similar to Antetokounmpo, Gobert's insane wingspan coupled with his lateral quickness is key to his spectacular rim protection.

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He led the league in blocks last year (2.6 per game), with second-placed Anthony Davis averaging 2.2. Gobert is Top 3 in every Defensive stat there is - Defensive rating (3rd), Defensive Win Shares (1st) and Defensive Box Plus/Minus (3rd).

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Edited by Yash Matange
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