Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert – Utah Jazz

The Defensive Player of the Year award is very up-in-the-air right now simply because the frontrunners for the award have been out with injuries. 

Rudy Gobert is the favorite to win the award and is currently slated as my favorite to win the award, but he has missed 14 games this season and has seen his odds drop as a result. 

Draymond Green with the Warriors also finds himself in a similar boat, as he has only played in 34 games and would be the heavy favorite to win the award if he was on the floor and healthy. 

There is also the outside chance of players like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaren Jackson Jr. and even Mikal Bridges jumping into the race for the award as we head for the final few weeks of the regular season. 

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Ultimately, Rudy Gobert has not missed that many games and as long as he can stay healthy for the rest of the season, this award is his to lose at this point. 

With Rudy Gobert on the floor, the Jazz have posted a defensive rating of 108.6 on the season, ranking them as one of the top defensive teams in the entire league. With Gobert off the floor though, the Jazz have a defensive rating upwards of 115.3, which would rank them 29th in the league in defensive rating.

This simple statistic cannot be overlooked and while it seems repetitive to keep giving Rudy Gobert Defensive Player of the Year, he truly is one of the most impactful defenders in NBA history. 

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Length certainly plays a role in this, but Gobert’s ability to position himself to block out opponents and force them out of the paint truly is masterful. Whether it is blocking shots, contesting shots, grabbing rebounds or simply keeping opponents in front of him, Rudy Gobert can do everything on defense, which is why the Jazz are a top defensive team year-in and year-out.