It’s not necessarily the scoring totals that makes the Harden experience so jarring. He is currently the closest challenger to the top two in our list for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. While Booker is always a threat from the perimeter, his numbers from deep are also statistically underwhelming, at least by his standards, with him shooting just 35.4% from three, though the difficulty of his attempts has something to do with it. NBA DEFENSE VS POSITION. Harden does benefit from obscene volume, but can you really blame Houston for tailoring its offense to the Harden show? He sports a deep array of tricks off the dribble, leaning on shot fakes, spin moves and crossovers to create the necessary separation between himself and a defender. At 34, it is fair to wonder how much longer Lowry can keep this up. The Duke product averaged 27.4 points per game with a 54.6 effective field goal percentage, scoring 1.06 points per isolation possession. He lands ninth on our list out of respect to the players ahead of him, but Dončić is closing in quickly, and, truthfully, you could make a compelling case for ranking him as high as fourth or fifth. This is not a representation of a player’s trade or market value, and it does not account for the impact of his salary relative to his production. If his breakout year doesn’t prove to be a massive fluke, Robinson will be one of the best floor spacers in NBA history. 20 on this list, but he’s really just getting started. The Wake Forest has been a prodigious offensive force and will be a part of unlocking Atlanta’s tantalizing ceiling. His three-point rate has skyrocketed. Valančiūnas posted a 60.6 effective field goal percentage in 2019–20, averaging 0.97 points per possession on post-up attempts. His jump shot oscillates between middling and broken depending on the week, and his stubbornness regarding said jumper can create plenty of frustration. He’ll pass up open triples in search of feeding his teammates, though that unselfishness can occasionally be counterproductive. —B.P. Simmons won the steals title last season en route to his first All-Defense selection. Barnes posted his second best career true shooting percentage in 2019–20, and he’s one of 20 players to make more than 275 threes at a clip of over 38% in the last two seasons. But Ayton’s 38-game sample last season should provide significant optimism for the young center’s future. —J.W. —J.W. In each of his final two seasons with the Suns, he averaged more than 18 points per game. 25. Among the 208 players who have taken at least 400 three-pointers since 2017–18, only Seth Curry has a higher three-point field goal percentage than Harris. As he’s matured, he’s curtailed some of his mid-range proclivities in favor of more threes and rim attempts, which has been a step in the right direction. Playing without a great point guard for really the first time in his career, the Clippers asked Leonard to be more of a ball-handler in 2020, and he acquitted himself well as a passer when drawing extra defenders. He can abuse more lumbering bigs with turnarounds, jab steps, and quick bursts. If he truly returns to form, this placement will look a little conservative. When he, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo shared the floor last season, Miami had an offensive rating of 115.8, practically equivalent to the all-time mark of 115.9 set by the Mavericks in 2020. The 26-year-old will look to become a more complete player with the Pistons. He returns to Denver this season on a one-year deal, looking to help the Nuggets reach their first Finals appearance since they joined the NBA in the mid 1970s. —J.W. Lillard recently said that his message to team president Neil Olshey was: “Let’s go for it.” The Blazers are just one full season removed from making the Western Conference finals, and it appears as if another berth in the league’s final four is fully possible, especially if Lillard shows even more improvement this season. He’s the best player on the planet when he wants to be. — R.N. Dončić is already there. Bogdanović projects to be an idyllic backcourt mate for Trae Young, sporting a 40.7% mark on catch-and-shoot triples in 2019–20. He’s quick to advance the ball up the floor in transition, and he’s an expert at skipping the ball from the wing to the opposite corner with either hand. WWE legend Shawn Michaels sees a lot of himself in NXT’s Dakota Kai. It’s not the most aesthetically thrilling game, but he can light up the scoreboard in a hurry. Jokić can catch the ball in traffic and put it on the floor. Other times, the Kentucky product looked lost and unable to snap out of various funks. Bertāns’s nickname, the Latvian Laser, should move him up at least a few spots on our list, but that’s an argument for another day. He averaged 18.2 points per game for the Clips in 2020, playing 28.7 minutes a night off the bench. We’d be remiss not to mention his elite shooting in recent seasons. But an added dose of screening action in Porzingis’s diet should help both the talented center and Dallas’s superstar guard. He ranked in the top 10 in pull-up threes made. There are moments when Kemba Walker ascends to a plane of unstoppability that are absolutely thrilling to watch. Still, the flaws are more obvious than ever with Westbrook. 34. Date Range. Few players have the energy or wherewithal to provide elite defense as a constant, and accentuating it with a viable, high-usage role on the other end. It’s hard to separate Brogdon from his frontcourt partner, Domantas Sabonis, hence their adjacent placement on this list. But forcing Harris to largely stand on the perimeter seems to be an underutilization of his skills. He showed up having shed weight and picked up where he left off and then some, backing the Blazers all the way to a surprise playoff berth. —B.P. It takes a truly unusual combination of focus and skill to function comfortably at the intersection of high usage and high efficiency, and it’s a challenge most players never master. The Hawks shelled out $72 million for Bogdanović in the offseason, and his offensive skill set should make the contract a worthwhile play for Atlanta. The Lakers rarely relied on switching, and their stay-at-home mentality banked on the fact Davis could roam and wreak havoc when necessary. He averaged 18.9 points last year on 49.3% shooting, grabbing 7.4 rebounds per game. He remains an elite catch-and-shoot player and could easily inch close to his old neighborhood of 40% from distance if all goes well. The Lakers are favorites to repeat for that reason. There are players on this list who are more prolific, but few as consistent and reliable. Irving’s defensive shortcomings are notable. That strain of thought completely ignores the context of last year’s Warriors roster, which was hastily reassembled after Thompson’s ACL tear and Durant’s departure. Porter doesn’t exactly provide the most bang for your buck out of any player in our Top 100. RPM: Player's estimated on-court impact on team performance, measured in net point differential per 100 offensive and defensive possessions. Simply put, Robinson’s presence is the difference between a historic offense and a middling one. As always, this is a wide-ranging exercise with a host of qualified candidates. If not, he’ll remain a tantalizing, yet frustrating talent on the fringe of the All-NBA discussion. —J.W. Barnes may not be a standout player in any single metric. The Wolves have surrounded Towns with a number of talented pieces, and the hope is that this season will offer a better gauge of where the franchise stands. The 2019–20 season brought the emergence of the Harden trap, in which teams would double-team Harden before he even stepped past half-court. Charlotte would be smart to increase its pace with Hayward and Ball, capitalizing on each player’s vision and skill in the open court. He does everything you want. If those lifestyle changes are long lasting, then the Suns should be a legitimate force this season. Young doesn’t make any marked impact without the ball in his hands. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying someone who is still a masterful bucket getter. Atlanta gave its roster a major makeover ahead of 2020-21, shelling out nine figures for Bogdan Bogdanović and Danilo Gallinari in a push to reach the postseason. Harden’s postseason failures have been noted ad nauseum, and while there is some context necessary, it’s hard to shake the feeling that there is a gear missing with the season on the line. It’s a question that remains tough to definitively answer, and one that can similarly be asked about the Magic. He can get a bucket from the outside, from the midrange, or by making his way to the rim for a finish or foul. In two games since the All-Star break, the … When the 23-year-old Murray agreed to a five-year, $170 million extension in the summer of 2019, some questioned Denver’s decision to anoint Murray as a franchise centerpiece despite his having never made an All-Star team. The 24-year-old has an elite net rating of 7.5 and is second in our list for least opposition points allowed. Defensive Player Ladder: Ben Simmons steals No ... - NBA.com He also provides valuable scoring off the bounce, which is critical for a Utah offense that at times appears stuck in mud. 1 player on a championship contender. The magic lies in the consistency and inevitability of those points, particularly when games matter most. His decision to join the Warriors will always be controversial, but the results he got in Golden State should not be. Horford was relegated to spacer status alongside Joel Embiid in Philadelphia, zapping him of his best skills as an offensive player. But as he hits the other side of 30, his checkered health history, volatile shooting splits, and limited versatility are inseparable from the value conversation. Patrick Beverley, Los Angeles Clippers. But Dončić is a fearless enough shooter that you can’t leave him open, and his floor game is otherwise a challenge to pick apart, considering his exceptional passing skills and unselfish nature (he also finished third in assists per game). Philadelphia’s point guard attempted just seven threes in 2019–20. It all still revolves around LeBron, in a way no other player can replicate. He is also a force around the rim, scoring the third-most paint points per game in the league (10.8). The Oklahoma product shot a blistering 41.3% on catch-and-shoot triples last season. Perhaps. Holiday defends guards, wings and even bigs without flinching, his combination of strength and quickness at 6’4” proving unusually functional over the years. Those stretches when Walker gets going in the high pick-and-roll, pulling up on bigs who dare go under screens or driving by those who get a little too eager, are very satisfying to watch. Ingram’s free-throw rate continues to trend upward. Our power rankings for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award continue to fluctuate, with just over a fortnight left of the regular season. Jokić occasionally suffers from what we’ll call Marc Gasol syndrome. At 34 years old, Williams remains one of the most professional scorers in the league. He’s not a physically imposing defender, and he’ll deliver his fair share of mental lapses on that end of the floor. But it feels certain that this is not the time to take it from him. What Butler proved during the Heat’s surprise run through the East is that he can be the No. Stats. In case that wasn’t obvious, the 2020 Thunder are a shining example. Everywhere Chris Paul goes, winning follows. Sneer at Simmons’s three-point phobia if you wish, but Philadelphia’s point guard remains one of the game’s most electric guards. Maybe he’ll become the Nets’ true third star alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, or maybe he’ll get moved. But despite an underwhelming tenure in Chicago thus far, Porter remains an intriguing piece for this season and beyond. Ingles shot 39.9% from three last season and was a steadying defensive presence for a Utah team that went 44–28. He’s evolved into a punishing presence at the rim, averaging a healthy 1.06 points per possession on postups and 1.03 points per possession as a roll man in 2019–20. He’ll get the opportunity to try and mesh with All-Star forward Kevin Love in the Cavs’ frontcourt as the franchise looks to develop lottery picks Collin Sexton, Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro alongside them. Now, such doubts appear moot, as Murray enters the 2020–21 campaign poised to build on his stellar playoff run. It can be exhausting. But the added pieces won’t cut into Collins’s production as much as one may think. Hayward also excels snaking in and out of the pick-and-roll, able to keep defenders on his hip before contorting his body around bigs around the rim. But will the Harden experience be remembered as much for its frustrations as its brilliance? In joining L.A., he will similarly be expected to play a key role for a team with title aspirations, and he will bring Los Angeles much-needed frontcourt flexibility. The best part was how sustainable it all feels. There’s certainly room for improvement here, like finishing at the rim or bumping up his percentage on pull-up threes. He’s a smart passer and decision-maker who’s always been able to maximize his impact without having his number called, allowing him to, in theory, pair comfortably with a second scorer within a winning construct. His production is the NBA’s most valuable constant. When healthy, he’s shown flashes as an elite three-and-D guy, sporting an impressive three-point stroke for a player of his size. The fifth-year forward continues to show impressive range from beyond the arc, making a legitimate leap in 2019–20 as he nearly doubled his scoring to 15.4 points per game. Dragić is a feisty competitor with a well-rounded offensive skill set. ... Top 100 NBA Players of 2021. He also once impressed LeBron so much that James dapped him in the middle of a playoff game between two heated rivals. Simmons sports the athletic profile to be a top-10 player. Player Bio. And after piloting the Lakers to a title, adjusting his game yet again to make it happen, he regains the top spot in this ranking after briefly ceding it a year ago. He’s good at pretty much everything already, and in his third season will inherit a heavy on-ball workload for the first time, with shooters around him. Porzingis is no slouch as a roll man himself. But Harris is still just 26, and the established value of his skill set bodes well. Smart doesn’t always take care, but he always cares, sometimes more than he should, always for the right reasons. But perhaps we’re focusing too much on questions surrounding Irving’s peculiar personality. At 35, Gasol is no longer the same player he was back in the early to mid-2010s, when he anchored a Grizzlies team that was a perennial postseason threat. Or will Westbrook quickly return to form with his third franchise, reminding us all just how physically dominant he can be? Also, his size makes him an easy target on defense. There are games where his jumper doesn’t fall — the only true critique of his game at age 26 — but Antetokounmpo doesn’t take nights off. May 08 9:30am AEST. Here's a look at the five top candidates for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award for the ... February 7, 2021. PG is far from a scrub. If there are any concerns, it’s that at 31-years-old, Butler is no spring chicken. Is $120 million too rich for Hayward? Still, speculate all you want about the longevity of his body type, but you cannot argue with the results. If anything, Redick was slightly underutilized on a young New Orleans team, playing his fewest minutes per game (26.4) since 2011. Stephen Curry missed functionally all of last season. Vintage Westbrook was arguably the best athlete in NBA history. Collins can put the ball on the floor in tight spaces, and he’s an elite leaper at the rim. Which player is dominating the 2020-2021 season? No one in the NBA made as significant a leap as Jayson Tatum did in 2020, when he went from promising young gun to “Oh my god, this kid is about to be a superstar.” The 22-year-old was sublime for the Celtics last season, leading the team in scoring despite sharing the ball with vets like Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward. The statistical profile makes sense, as McCollum’s game isn’t dependent on his athleticism or lift on a given night. He shot nearly 55% from the field. Is he fit enough to survive extended playoff series? Barnes isn’t solely a stationary shooter. Williams can get hot at a moment’s notice, and many a coach has watched their lead slip away because of a Lou scoring barrage. Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans. He’s often unwilling to make any impact without the ball in his hands, far too content to rest with his hands on his hips in the half-court. He certainly won’t have the same spotlight on him in New Orleans that he did in Milwaukee, and as a result, maybe he flourishes for a team with more modest aspirations. Daniel Levy wrote in Tottenham's matchday program that "we lost sight of some key priorities and what’s truly in our DNA.". After reviving the Clippers and nearly bringing the Rockets to the Finals, CP was unceremoniously shipped to Oklahoma City in the summer of 2019. 96. And his offensive game could use an extra flourish here and there, or at least one counter to teams who can doggedly chase him off the arc (as the Lakers did in the Finals.) —J.W. Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports; Kevin Jairaj/USA TODAY Sports; Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports; Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports; Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports; Kelvin Kuo/USA TODAY Sports, The Spurs are in the midst of pivoting to a new era, with DeMar DeRozan’s and LaMarcus Aldridge’s contracts set to expire after 2020–21. Just over a year later, Warren, who was in effect traded for cap space, emerged as one of the biggest stars of the bubble. But Collins’s offensive skills are undeniable. Paul looked rejuvenated in OKC. It’s hard to imagine a better superstar alongside Jamal Murray in Denver. Squint hard enough and Dinwiddie at times resembles Irving, though with considerably fewer acrobatics around the rim. Young’s vision is truly elite in the half-court. James recently told SI the Lakers thought Davis was hardly breaking a sweat at times when putting up monster numbers. Utah often faces clogged lanes due to the presence of Gobert. Brandon Ingram came to New Orleans as the jewel of the Anthony Davis trade, but at the time he was anything but a sure bet. When he was active, he was New Orleans’s best player. The most interesting man in the NBA, Jimmy Butler found the perfect home for himself in Miami, where the Heat welcomed his aggressive playing style en route to a shocking Finals berth. (Fun fact: Lowry’s free-throw rate last season was the fourth-best of his career and highest since 2009.) You can quibble with his defensive shortcomings, as well as his lack of a true position at 6' 9". A product of Georgetown, eight-time All-Star and six-time All-Defense selection in 18 seasons, Mutombo ranks 20th in NBA history in rebounds … MP - 33.5, RPG - 9.1, BPG - 1.0, SPG - 1.2, DWS - 3.0, DBPM - 1.8. It took more than a year for Nurkić to make his return from a badly broken leg. But in a given series, Westbrook’s shortcomings can sink his team. After initially making his name as a rim-runner with James Harden and the Rockets, Harrell has since added plenty of spice to his offensive repertoire. He’s an able and willing playmaker. But on the defensive side of the floor, the Wolves struggled last season, finishing as a bottom-third unit, with Towns playing in just 35 games. Griffin isn’t exactly a knock-down shooter, but he posts solid percentages considering his significant leap in three-point volume. https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2021_ratings.html Tatum was bonkers, averaging 23.4 points, 3.0 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game. Remember that when the Jazz have gone down in the playoffs, it’s been at the hands of elite offensive talents: James Harden, Stephen Curry and, last year, an ascendant Jamal Murray. The former No. He’s at his most enjoyable to watch when he puts teams away by himself, going on these mini flurries at the ends of halves, forcing opponents into submission with his unstoppable elbow jumper. The 31-year-old guard enters this season as one of just five players to score 1,500 or more points in each of the last five years. At this point, these are things we have to simply accept. He was relegated to secondary scorer status in Boston, spending most nights as a spot-up specialist, but could see a relative career revival in Charlotte. He averaged 1.24 points per roll possession, sporting comparable numbers to Rudy Gobert and Bam Adebayo. He said recently that his plan this offseason was “always to come back to Cleveland.” The two-time All-Star remains a high-quality player, but for better or worse, he’s still a stat stuffer on a young team. Capela may in essence function as Atlanta’s most important addition.

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