Top Candidates For NBA Defensive Player of the Year!

With the respective Conference Finals well underway, the NBA season is finally approaching its culmination. With yet another season behind us, we can look back at some truly unexpected developments that unfolded over the course of this season: Philly flattered to deceive, OKC fell way short of preseason expectations and Boston is, despite all odds and injuries, defying all expectations! As the season comes to a close, we can finally arrive at conclusions regarding the hotly debated preseason topics: Who will win Rookie of the Year? Who will win 6th Man? Who will be MVP?

Another such question, which has been the subject of much debate is: Who will win DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year)?

Unlike the other questions, the answer to this is still up in the air. In the case of the other questions, a front runner has more or less emerged in the conversation. However, in case of the DPOY, competition is very fierce and many players from across the league have staked worthy claims for the prize.

The NBA DPOY is an annual award that is given to recognize the talents of the best defensive player of the regular season. A panel of 124 broadcasters and sportswriters casts its votes for First, Second and Third place. Each First place vote merits 5 points, Second place votes are worth three points and a Third place vote is worth one.

During the course of time, the DPOY has gone on to become one of the most prestigious awards that the league has to offer. Its recipients include luminaries such as Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and more recently, Kawhi Leonard. While Leonard won the prize twice in a row before Draymond Green of the Warriors claimed it last season, the race for DPOY is wide open this year and all finalists are worthy contenders for the trophy.

The finalists for DPOY 2017-18 are: Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert. Here, we present an in-depth analysis of the case that each presents in the quest for DPOY glory. Read on to know more about the chances and strengths of each player!

As they say, "Offense wins you games but defense wins you championships"

3. Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)

After a strong season for Embiid, he is primed to take home the DPOY trophy.

Joel Embiid has been a catalyst for the entire 76ers franchise in the last two seasons. From setting historic lows in wins and being considered one of the easiest teams to dominate over in the league, the 76ers have come a long way. A large amount of credit for this transformation goes to Joel Embiid. Not only has he been an absolute nightmare for opposition defenses, he has also acted as a much needed anchor at the defensive end for Philadelphia- establishing himself as an elite two way player in the process.

He is 5th in the entire NBA in blocks per game this season with 1.8 and couples this with 8.7 defensive rebounds per game in the regular season. This mark is 6th best in the NBA. Embiid has also improved in defensive rebounding percentage per game from last season and is currently at 29% (Compared to 24.7% last season).

He has a physically dominating 7'2", 113 Kg frame which helps him deliver fearsome defensive performances on a regular basis and out-muscle post players operating under the rim against him. Due to Embiid's presence, Philadelphia was a top 5 defensive team in the regular season both in terms of shot blocking and rebounding. Embiid has a defensive rating of 100.2, which is among the best in the league.

A healthy Joel Embiid may well be a one-man offensive wrecking crew, but he is also a fierce defender at the other end of the floor. While this year may or may not be his to achieve DPOY, be rest assured that he will make the accolade his in the very near future.

2. Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans)

Anthony "The Brow" Davis was earmarked for super stardom pretty early on in his career. He actually represented the USA Senior Men's National Basketball team in the 2012 Olympics and played alongside legends such as Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, LeBron James, before he played a single game in the NBA!

Expectations have always been high from The Brow, and with good reason. In the eyes of analysts across the league, the sky was the limit for Davis and potential oozed from him. Well, this season the expectations have finally been realized, and how!

Anthony Davis has been an absolute MONSTER for the New Orleans Pelicans and has terrorized opponents across the league this season. Since the injury to DeMarcus Cousins midway through the season, Davis has actually stepped up his game to the next level- leading his team to the second round of the playoffs. He contributed massively on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor- recording 40 point games with alarming regularity.

Anthony Davis boasts of equally impressive defensive stats as well. He leads the league in total blocks with 193 in the regular season! He averages 2.6 blocks per game, another league leading defensive stat. Davis is top 10 in both total defensive rebounds and defensive rebounds per game in the league and is averaging 1.5 steals per game- a career best and an increment of 0.2 in the same stat from last season.

In fact, Davis is the only player in the league who is averaging at least 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. Both blocks and steals are the foundations on which the defensive contributions of a player are evaluated. While playing defense, Davis commits on average 2 fouls per game.

Both Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert commit more fouls than Davis while playing defense- giving opponents the chance to score through free throws in the process. He is also an elite isolation defender. Davis uses his remarkable size to dominate over the players he guards. In isolation, opponents score a mere 32% of the time against Davis. This mark is better than the percentage held by Paul George, who is much heralded for his isolation defensive abilities.

Another edge that Davis has over his competition is the fact that he was healthy and contributed regularly towards the defensive efforts of his franchise this past season. Both Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert had injury layoffs due to which their stats suffer and so do the defensive endeavors of their franchises.

At any time now, Anthony Davis is going to make that elusive Defensive Player of the Year award his for the taking.

1.Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)

Rudy Gobert is a prime candidate to win NBA DPOY

While both Embiid and Davis, along with many other players across the league, have laid their respective claims to the prestigious DPOY award, perhaps nobody has done so as authoritatively as Rudy Gobert has. Despite missing 26 games due to posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) issues and repetitive bone bruise injuries to his right knee, Gobert has been a one man wrecking crew for the Utah Jazz at the defensive end this season.

The fact that he is number one on this list despite missing a large part of the season due to injury is testimony to his amazing defensive abilities. When he has been on the floor, he has put up an absolute show for the Jazz at the defensive end. In an age where perimeter shooting has become the major part of team offenses, Gobert has ensured that whatever offense the opposition tries to run from the interior of the floor is thwarted.

Gobert has the longest standing height in the entire NBA at a mind boggling 9 ft 7 inches (although this particular record will soon be matched by Mo Bamba). This helps him deflect passes that guards make to team-mates inside the paint and to block shot attempts from under the basket.

In fact, before his three week injury absence in November, he was actually leading the league in blocks per game at 2.5- ahead of Anthony Davis who picked up the pace after the season ending injury to DeMarcus Cousins. Gobert was also the NBA leader in blocks last season and is third overall this season. This season, he has improved when steals are considered.

He is averaging a career best 0.8 steals per game- an improvement of 0.2 from last season. Due to his enormous contributions, the Utah Jazz have been able to consistently maintain a Top 5 defensive ranking in the NBA for the entirety of the season. This accomplishment is put into perspective considering that Utah does not boast of any other player who is particularly specializing or skilled in defense. Gobert is carrying the entire Jazz team on his shoulders when defense is considered.

Perhaps the greatest measure of Gobert's defensive value is made clear by the following fact: Players have actually stopped even attempting shots from the interior against the Jazz because of Gobert! No team in the NBA allows fewer shots from the interior than the Jazz. On the other hand, the Jazz allow the second MOST shot attempts from beyond the arc. Opponents simply have no option against Gobert! They are forced to pull up for threes because he is so good at protecting the paint on the interior!

Well, if that;'s not DPOY worthy, we don't know what is. After missing out narrowly on the prize last season, this time might just be the charm for Rudy Gobert!