Ranking the 10 best defensive players in the 2020-21 NBA season so far

#4 Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers) - NBA Defensive Rating: 101.3

Myles Turner #33 of the Indiana Pacers defends the shot of Julius Randel #30 the New York Knicks.

Myles Turner is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA, and he is having a hot year on defense for the Indiana Pacers. Turner is fourth in Defensive Rating in the 2020-21 NBA season, and he deserves a high spot.

He is leading the league in blocks per game with four per night. Of course, it is early, but if he keeps that trend, four blocks a night would be the highest since 1996 when Dikembe Mutombo averaged 4.5 blocks per game.

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#3 Larry Nance Jr. (Cleveland Cavaliers) - NBA Defensive Rating: 101.2

Cleveland Cavaliers v Indiana Pacers.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are leading the 2020-21 NBA season in Defensive Rating with just 103.8 points allowed per 100 possessions. Larry Nance Jr. has been great on that end of the floor for them.

Nance averages 11 points, five rebounds, four assists, 2.5 steals (highest in the league), and a block per game. On Defensive Rating, Nance is third in the NBA with 101.2 points allowed per 100 possessions.

He leads the NBA in Defensive Box Plus/Minus and steal percentage, and ranks second in Defensive Win Shares.

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#2 Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers) - NBA Defensive Rating: 100.3

Philadelphia 76ers v Brooklyn Nets.

Doc Rivers' Philadelphia 76ers started the year firing on all cylinders, and as usual, under Doc's guidance, they were efficient on defense. Joel Embiid is the best player on the team, and his defensive efforts have been excellent.

Embiid ranks second in the NBA in Defensive Rating (100.3) and might be an MVP candidate if Philadelphia can recover from the COVID-19 issues and remain one of the Eastern Conference's top seeds.

Embiid is also fifth in Defensive Win Shares, 11th in Defensive Box Plus/Minus, and sixth in blocks per game.

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#1 Andre Drummond (Cleveland Cavaliers) - NBA Defensive Rating: 94.3

Cleveland Cavaliers v Miami Heat.

Due to the Cleveland Cavaliers' great defensive efforts so far, Andre Drummond has been able to protect the paint efficiently in the 2020-21 NBA season. Drummond is leading the early stages of the NBA season in Defensive Rating with a 94.3 score.

Andre Drummond's 94.3 Defensive Rating would be the best in the NBA since the 2011-12 season, but it is still early to imagine he can keep up that trend for the entire season.

Still, Drummond also leads the NBA in Defensive Win Shares, and rebounds per game with 15.1.

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