As the climax of the regular season approaches, we’ve taken a look at who could snap up the 2022/23 Defensive Player of the Year award, with plenty of big names like Jaren Jackson Jr, Brook Lopez and Evan Mobley in the mix.
Jaren Jackson Jr
There’s can be no debate on who tops this list. Yes, it is the Memphis Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr.
The 23-year-old has returned from injury like a man on a mission, anchoring his team towards the best defensive rating in the NBA. You can’t even tell he missed 14 games at the start of the season.
Really, it’s the numbers that do the talking. Jackson Jr. blocks a league-leading 3.3 shots per game, limiting opposition attackers to 14.1 percentage points worse than expected when he’s defending on the rim.
With him in the ranks, the Grizzlies are breaking another franchise record in only giving up 102.4 points per 100 possessions.
He’d either have to make one of the biggest performative U-turns in NBA history or be side-lined for a substantial amount of time to not clinch the 2023 DPOY.
Brook Lopez
There’s a steady queue of contenders behind JJJ, and leading that charge is Brook Lopez.
The Milwaukee Bucks star has been a strong interior defender for a while now, bringing stability and control to an otherwise ropy team.
The fact that the Bucks are the third-best defence in the league speaks entirely to his efforts. Indeed, Lopez leads the NBA in total blocks (101) and is tied for the league per game (2.6).
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) shoots against Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez (11)
Despite the disjointed nature of his side’s most recent stretch of performances, Lopez remains the glue that holds everything together. They will need him to be at peak efficiency now more than ever, playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo who has missed his fifth game in a row nursing a sore knee.
Nic Claxton
Maybe not the most familiar figure in the league at the moment, but Nic Claxton is definitely one of the most valuable when it comes to defence.
In the absence of Kevin Durant, who is still recovering from an MCL strain, Claxton has been a pivotal element in the starting five, making attacking runs at one end, and transforming into an elite rim protector at the other. He is simultaneously shooting a league-leading 73.4 per cent from the field while averaging at least three blocks a game. Simply absurd.
The Nets will need him now more than ever if they are to redeem their fall from the top of the Eastern Conference standings and return amongst the top three.
Evan Mobley
They don’t call him ‘fourth quarter Ev’ for no reason. Indeed, Mobley has earned that nickname, among more creative monikers, for his niche set of skills.
It means he’s incredibly difficult to contain, as was evident in Saturday night’s flashy, 38-point performance against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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Evan Mobley had a monstrous performance for the Cleveland Cavaliers with 38 points and 9 rebounds.
Mobley picked up his ninth straight game hitting double figures, which is impressive enough, but this isn’t an MVP or most improved player prediction list.
What matters is what Mobley is doing defensively and being seven feet certainly helps. Not only is he leading the NBA in defensive win shares, but he is part of the best defensive frontcourt in the NBA alongside Jarrett Allen, swatting away attempts to infiltrate passing lanes and constantly turning over possession.
Continue in this form, and he may just provide a challenge for Jackson Jr.
Notable mentions
There’s a few names who didn’t make the cut, but still possess the necessary skills to unseat those above them.
OG Anunoby is one of those, operating as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league this season. He’s kept big players like Durant and Donovan Mitchell quiet when marking them and leads the league in steals per game.
Draymond Green and the aforementioned Allen also possess those same hallmarks. While Green’s contributions have been dampened as a result of the Golden State Warriors’ recent woes, Allen is averaging 24 points per game, alongside three combined defensive stats.
