The Lakers are currently in the heat of battle against the Denver Nuggets, but while the focus is on that matchup and the challenges it presents, a lot of chatter in the NBA world involves Anthony Davis and his defensive hierarchy in the league.
The hoopla started when the NBA released the finalists for Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) and Anthony Davis was somehow not named. Davis spoke about being snubbed and was emphatic, saying he was ‘the best defensive player in the league.’
This week’s NBA Reacts survey focuses on Anthony Davis not making the DPOY finalist list and his claim to be the best defender in the league.
Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama and Bam Adebayo are the finalists for DPOY this season. They are all great defenders, but given that Davis averages 2.6 blocks, the fourth-highest in the NBA and above Gobert and Adebayo, it seems he should be in the running for the award.
It’s not just blocks where Davis makes his impact known. Davis protects the rim and is the main reason the Lakers are outscoring teams in the paint by an average of 5.3 points per game.
The Lakers have few bigs available to complement or help Davis, so he has far more defensive responsibility than his peers on other teams.
Another metric that demonstrates Davis’ dominance is his defensive rating. When he’s on the floor, the Lakers have a defensive rating of 115.4. When he’s off the court, it goes up to 125.6.
These stats and his importance to the team are clear and are a big reason Lakers fans are upset about his lack of recognition. But even if he was a finalist, is he the best defender in the league?
Rudy Gobert has been elite for a while, but the argument is that he can get played off the court. While he can protect the paint in a positionless league with perimeter focus, can you call him the best when his flaw has been so glaring?
Victor Wembanyama is just a rookie which is horrifying to think about. He seems, to me, like raw talent that still needs polish. So, while he will undoubtedly be winning many DPOY awards in the future, season one feels a bit too early and I wouldn’t put his season defensively above Davis’, even if he did register 254 blocks.
Adebayo has a lot of the versatility Davis possesses, but I wouldn’t put him over The Brow. If you agree with me, then Davis makes a compelling case as the best defender in the league.
