The Milwaukee Bucks had a tough season in 2021-22. While they looked like they could contend for the title, injuries held them back from succeeding. They lost in the playoffs because Khris Middleton was unavailable, but they could have been even better if their starting center, Brook Lopez, hadn’t spent most of the regular season hurt.
After a full offseason of getting back to 100%, Lopez looks like he has unlocked even more performance. The former All-Star has become a defensive beast and the perfect center next to Giannis Antetokounmpo due to his shooting ability. However, Brook’s defense has been the talking point this season, with fans saying he should win Defensive Player of the Year.
Lopez is leading the NBA in blocks this season, averaging 2.9 a game. His ability to protect the paint alongside Giannis, who plays the role of the help defender, has given the Bucks the most impressive interior defense in the league.
The 2022-23 Defensive Player Of The Year Race Will Be A Tight One
Just like last year, there hasn’t been an obvious contender to emerge in the Defensive Player of the Year race. Up until a few years ago, a similar cast of suspects would be in contention for the award, like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, Anthony Davis, Ben Simmons, etc.
Giannis and AD are the only 2 of those players realistically in the running for that award this year. Lopez’s success has been greatly fueled by Giannis being able to put pressure on multiple players on the perimeter and forcing players towards Brook or forcing them to deal with either him or Jrue Holiday on the perimeter. Giannis’ ability to recover and stop shots at the rim makes him a more versatile defender than Brook.
Anthony Davis has single-handedly carried the Lakers’ defense this season, but the team still needs to win a lot more games before their players can be in award conversations. There are many more names in the running, like Marcus Smart, OG Anunoby, Ivica Zubac, Bam Adebayo, Evan Mobley, and others.
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