Ausar Thompson, Herb Jones, Bam, AD, Rudy
Wemby as the 6th man
this post was submitted on 26 Nov 2023
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it aint anyone on our team ill tell you that
It aint our team either, that’s for sure
80s Nuggets vibes in Indiana. Which is weird because Carlisle isn't a defensive savant but I never thought he was a coach that just didn't give a shit about defense.
Well, you know, a veteran coach fits the gameplan to the roster and ticket sales, sometimes even in that order.
I think it's gotta be my Hornets by process of elimination
Hasn't Ant been really good on defense this season?
Yes but 3rd best on the wolves after Rudy and Jaden (in that order IMO). Ant has been great, but still isn’t always locked in, whereas Rudy is my DPOY so far and Jaden is at least all defense second team (lots of great wing defenders in the NBA). Great article from the Star Tribune just came out today (twin cities flagship paper) on how the wolves have given Rudy the keys to the kingdom on defense just like teams do with superstars on offense:
Finch said that during his time as an assistant in New Orleans coaching Jrue Holiday, he realized that a team should collaborate with its best defensive player the way it might with its best offensive player. He has applied that philosophy in having Gobert play a significant role in outlining the themes of the Wolves defense.
"I've always had the approach with offensive players that you've got to give them great freedom, and several years ago it struck me before I became coach here, why don't we do the same with defensive players?" Finch said. "You have to give those players an incredible amount of freedom to be able to navigate a lot of situations in the league that they have to face against these guys every night."
Highly recommend the article if you are interested either in some NBA defensive scheming talk in general or specifically how the wolves transformed their approach to become one of the best in the league this year! Well written by one of our best beats, Chris Hine.
Yeah he's improved and has gotten through screens better too (except in the Suns game when he was atrocious at screen navigation, prob tired legs from the road road b2b). Rudy and Jaden are better though.
I probably wouldn’t have him first team but KCP should be in strong contention for an all defensive team. Kawhi’s defense has been good, and McDaniels has probably been the best wing defender in basketball this season.
As a twolves fan you cant say mcdaniels cuz hes only play like 6 games do far due to injury
Wemby, Toumani Camara, Chet, and Derrick Lively II are holding it down for the rookies. Cason Wallace ain't no slouch neither.
Top 4 in blocks:
AD, Brook, Wemby and Chet, amazingly. NOT the TWO most recent MVP centers, though Embiid isn't far down the list.
I feel like Wemby, AD and the Giannis/Brook combo have a chilling effect on drives more than their blocks, even.
Rudy Gobert. He will lead Wolves to finals this season
Not naming Rudy Gobert or Jaden McDaniels makes me skeptical of your list OP. The Wolves are 3rd in DRTG despite having played the Hawks (2nd in ORTG) Suns (7th, and they dropped like 135 on us on our SEGABABA which skews our stats) Celtics (8th) Nuggets with Murray (10th) Kings (11th) and Warriors (12th, twice actually but one game without their top 3). Anyways. Wolves defense.
What is SEGABABA?
I'm assuming something with back to back but what does the acronym mean? haha it's fun to say lol
It IS fun to say - it stands for Second Game of a Back to Back
rudy is literally the first person on his list
Gobert is the first one named in this post. Also the way the game has evolved, he’s definitely overrated as a defender overall. Rim protection and post defense is great but with other players in the rankings that do that and can either guard perimeter or 1-5, I just don’t see case being made for Rudy being a front runner just because he is not trash like last year.
jaden hasnt played enough this year yet due to injury but i hope hell be there end of year
All I know is that Joel Embiid will not get the credit he deserves for his defense when it's all said and done. As usual.
Ad, Rudy, Brook, Bam, MRob, Mobley, Jaden McDaniels, Wemby, Chet, Claxton,
I feel like on-ball defenders don't get the praise they deserve in the defense conversation.
Agreed. The award has moved towards off ball defenders who get a lot of counting stats, despite the advancement of on ball metrics. A raptors specific example, voters prefer players like Barnes over O.G.
(homer) Keegan Murray has made a crazy defensive jump.
Ausar has to be in the conversation. He's being tasked to the opposing teams best player and clamping them down
Damn Magic has been playing great, Suggs has been one of their top defender and reason why they are so good defensively, but Herb Jones got the mention.
Bam or Gobert should be DPOY
Ausar Thompson has been insane defensively, I think he could make an all NBA defensive team even as a rookie
reading through these comments makes me realize there’s a lot more elite perimeter defenders than paint defenders out there. like only gobert and ad are elite on that end. chet lacks the strength, brook has looked kinda washed defensively this year im surprised i’m seeing his name, and mitchell robinson is good but overrated
SGA has been extremely solid. I wouldn’t call him elite, but he certainly knows how to force turnovers. Most players don’t attack him on defense. Chet is also great against guards, he really knows how to use his length. His issue is when he has to face a big big man. They get into his body and it hurts his ability to contest. However, so many times guards get into the paint and are forced to kick it out because he’s there. He’s like a highlight reel of blocks. I think he’s at his beat when he’s in help defense. But I’m a okc homer and I doubt anyone else read this rant. I just think those 2 should consider them when you speak on best defenders in the league. There’s a reason okc is top 3 in defensive rtg
Bam is the DPOY this year
AD and GP2 still keeping it elite
Mobley has to be up there, people just forget him bc he’s on the Cavs
Feels crazy saying this but Westbrook has been pretty damn amazing
Shai has to be up there. Leading the league in steals, almost a block a game. 5th in defensive win shares behind guys like Gobert and AD, 4th in defensive box plus-minus
Obviously I wouldn't put him as DPOY but I think he deserves some all-defense consideration
Not explicitly top tier right now until he can bring some consistency, but Goga looks like he could be something special.
Westbrook is top 3 guard according to dubksandthrees
Very biased here, but I feel that bam is the best defender in the league. He has the ability to guard players on the perimeter almost as well as jrue while also protecting the rim at about the level of gobert or AD
We're 1-3 without Jaden, he changes the game almost as much as Rudy does.
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So none of the players on the league’s best defense are among the league’s best defenders? That’s weird…
I’m gonna say Dillon brooks just to piss off the haters. Real talk though Bam and Brook have been absolutely killing it. Gobert stands out less to me but maybe that’s just because I expect top tier rim protection from him anyway.
Jalen Suggs, Jaden McDaniels and Ausar Thompson
I would also mention Wemby, Chet, Ausar, Thybulle, Ant
dillon brooks is not getting enough love here. from the second worst defense to top 3 is unheard of. obviously udoka is the main cause of this but DB is the best defender on a top 3 defense where the other starting defense is meh
Not having Jrue anywhere on the list renders it null and void
Suggs. Herb jones.
Wildcard pick toumani camera.
Jon Isaac or Jalen Suggs has to be in the discussion. Best defense in the NBA
Alperen Sengun anchors the number 1 defence in the league
Nah man, among the one you said only AD and Bam are really difference makers. Rudy has elite perimeter defender helping him the most (he never really had good perimeter defenders), as well as Mitchell being part of a great defensive system. Brook Lopez was trash beginning of the season and him like Rudy and Mitchell and other rim protector, is good only in the paint.
How the hell you left over all the perimeter defenders out??
Tatum doesn't get enough credit for being a defender. Best 2 way wing in the NBA.
He never campaigns for it, but he's been playing 2nd team defense almost his entire career.
He's a VERY good team defender, and is a very good man defender. Teams never attack him on defense. Never.
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