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Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies is the reigning NBA DPOY, but he might not have the best chance of defending the award. Jackson and the Grizzlies are among the worst teams in the league. Let's take a look at the NBA DPOY power rankings after Week 4.
The Grizzlies are in the bottom half of the league in terms of team defense, at No. 18. Jackson has been tasked to be more active on the offensive end due to the absence of Ja Morant, who'd serving a 25-game suspension. JJJ's defense has suffered because of the additional workload at the other end.
One player who is thriving is Rudy Gobert, who was a three-time NBA DPOY winner during his time with the Jazz. Gobert's defense is one of the main reasons why the Minnesota Timberwolves are off to a hot start to the season.
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2023-24 NBA DPOY Power Rankings after Week 4
Four weeks into the NBA season, the Minnesota Timberwolves have the best team defense followed by the Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics, OKC Thunder and New York Knicks.
The Timberwolves, Celtics and Thunder are among the best teams in the league, and they might have a candidate for the NBA DPOY at the end of the season. On that note, let's take a look at the 2023-24 NBA DPOY power rankings after four weeks of action.
#5 Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum has the Boston Celtics atop the Eastern Conference with a record of 11-3. Fans will notice Tatum's offense first, as he's averaging 28.2 points per game on 20.7% shooting from the field.
However, Tatum's defense has also been great this season. He's holding his own against the opposing team's best offensive players. He'll likely get more credit for his offense, with Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis receiving NBA DPOY votes at the end of the season.
#4 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The OKC Thunder have the fourth-best defense in the NBA. The result? A 10-4 record, which is tied for the second-best in the Western Conference. The Thunder have arrived, and they're being led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Like Jayson Tatum, SGA is primarily known for carrying his team's offense. However, the Canadian superstar is leading the league in steals at 2.5 per game. He will also likely end up conceding NBA DPOY votes to teammates Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams.
#3 Anthony Davis
While LeBron James gets credited for carrying the LA Lakers on offense this season, Anthony Davis has been superb at both ends of the floor.
Davis might have a hiccup on offense at times, but his defense remains elite. He has among the best player defensive ratings with a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 games.
It's an advanced stat, but the Lakers' defense ranks 13th in the league. It's not a good look, but it would have been even worse if not for Davis. He will also need to stay healthy if he wants to have a chance at winning the NBA DPOY for the first time.
#2 Bam Adebayo
One of the reasons why the Miami Heat won seven games in a row recently, before it was snapped by the Chicago Bulls, was Bam Adebayo. He has been a monster at both ends of the floor, but he has made the NBA DPOY his main motivation this season.
Adebayo is averaging 1.3 steals and 1.1 blocks per game, which is something he wanted to focus on, as he claimed that voters only look at stats. The Heat has a top 10 defense but need to improve it to give Adebayo a chance to win the NBA DPOY.
#1 Rudy Gobert
As mentioned above, the Minnesota Timberwolves have the best defense in the NBA. It's one of the main reasons they are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers for the second-best record in the league, at 10-3.
Rudy Gobert is back to being at his best in defending the rim, as the Minnesota Timberwolves have a great perimeter defensive core of Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.
Gobert also leads the league in defensive rating based on a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 games this season.
