'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The best analogy to define the two aspects of NBA, or basketball for that matter, would be to imagine it like a coin. While one side of the coin is offense, the other is defense. Without either, the game is incomplete. Any contending team has to fill their squad with a balance of strong offensive and defensive players.
Take the Brooklyn Nets, for example. In the 2020-21 NBA season, they had, without a doubt, the best offensive squad in the league. The presence of James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in the same team was enough to send shivers down any opponent's spine.
However, due to the lack of pure defensive players, the team could not stop the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks, with their strong defensive prowess, were able to turn the tables on the formidable Nets.
On that note, here's a look the top five defenders in the Western Conference. going into the 2021-22 NBA season:
#5 Paul George
Paul George is a relentless defender, who never gives up. The best example of his tenacity as a defender came in a Team USA exhibition match in 2014.
It was only an exhibition game between two squads comprising the best players from the States. But George was running up and down the court, chasing down attackers the entire game. He suffered a devastating injury in the match during one such chase attempt against Harden, though.
With the LA Clippers, PG13's role involves defending the wings, something he is good at it. He is capable of exerting pressure on attackers, pushing them to make tough shots and limiting their efficiency.
#4 Draymond Green
The Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green has remained a defensive force for much of the last decade. His role in the Dubs' five consecutive NBA Finals appearances is irrefutable. He was able to guard the likes of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love, three lethal scorers.
Going into the 2021-22 NBA season, Green is still as relevant as he was in 2016. He defends not just the post, but the perimeter too. He is capable of guarding slashers and big men alike.
Also Read: What is PG’s Current Contract?
#3 Anthony Davis
Anthony Davis is, hands down, one of the best post defenders in the NBA. At 6' 10", The Brow can virtually guard any kind of player in the league. He is as dominant at the defensive end as he is at the offensive one. During his time with the New Orleans Pelicans, he led the league in blocks in three seasons.
His prowess as a defensive genius is unmatched in the LA Lakers' squad. Even with the presence of King James and Russell Westbrook, he holds the crown of the best defender in the squad.
Davis is one of the top five defenders in the Western Conference. An injury-less AD is a defensive force to be reckoned with. Going into the 2021-22 season, he should continue to impress with his guarding abilities.
#2 Kawhi Leonard
A two-time defensive player of the year, Kawhi Leonard is a beast while on guard duty. He is not only capable of meeting much larger and stronger players in the air but can also stop them from reaching anywhere close to the paint. He has the ability to guard all over the court.
More than his blocking and post-up game, the threat Leonard brings with his ball-snatching ability negatively impacts the opposition's ability to score. He can steal possession from the best ball handlers, and convert that into quick fast-breaks and key turnovers. He is, without a doubt, one of the two best defenders in the Western Conference going into the 2021-22 NBA season.
#1 Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert is not just the best defender in the Western Conference, but he's also the best defender in the NBA. Along with Dwight Howard, he is the only active player to win three Defensive Player of the Year awards. In fact, he won his third and most recent DOPY award in the 2020-21 season.
In the Utah Jazz squad, if Donovan Mitchell is the spear that leads the attack, Gobert is the one-man fortress who can overwhelm teams with his supreme guarding abilities. He is the best post defender, and one of the best three-point defenders in the entire league.
In an era where the NBA has become a haven for downtown shooters, the Stifle Tower absolutely dominates the three-point line by stopping the best of shooters. In the 2021-22 season, he is highly expected to win his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award.
