Top 5 defensive Power Forwards of 2019-2020
Top 5 defensive Power Forwards of 2019-2020
The power forward position is becoming one of the most versatile positions in basketball. They can shoot from the mid-range or from beyond the arc while being able to dominate the paint at the same time. With all of that in mind it makes being a defender at the position that much harder.This is part two of five showing off the best defenders in the NBA for their respective positions for the 2019- 2020 season. I will be using the same blueprint that I used for the centers which is defensive statistics and of course the eye test. If you missed it the 9 stats were defensive ratings, defensive field goal percentage, defensive win shares, block percentage, steals percentage, defensive rebounding percentage, steals per game, blocks per game and defensive rebounds per game with a minimum of 30 games played.
5. Kristaps Porzingis (Dallas Mavericks)
With me being a Knicks fan it hurts me that Kristaps is on this list because it highlights our flaws as an organization once again, but that's besides the point. Kristaps had a very good comeback season after not playing last season due to injury. He averaged 19.2 points per game with 9.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. His spot on this list is mainly for his rim protection with the second most blocks per game in his position blocking shots 5.6% of the time he was on the floor. He also held his opponents to shooting 45% from the field and had the fourth best defensive rating out of the players on this list sitting at 106. In the paint Kristaps was always good defensively, his only flaws is when you bring him outside the paint and make him defend the perimeter. His lateral quickness is just not good enough to keep up with the smaller, more versatile power forwards in the league, but overall he is still a very good defender.
4. Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
Bam Adebayo was given a larger role with the Heat this year and he definitely made the most out of it. He had 16.2 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game, 1.3 blocks per game, and 1.2 steals per game while making his first all-star appearance in his third season. Bam was top five in his position in every statistic except steal percentage and defensive ratings where he tied with Kristaps at 106. He had the second most defensive rebounds per game as a power forward at 8.0 a game, meaning he was grabbing a rebound 25% of the time he was on the floor. He also had the third most blocks per game on this list and his steals were the fifth best in the league at his position. He was able to guard inside and outside with ease making it hard for his opponents to score forcing them to shoot 43.4% from the field. His progression is amazing to me and his versatility is what landed him the fourth spot on this list.
3. Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Every list I make there is a player that surprises me with how good they are defensively, this time it's Jayson Tatum. After watching some tape and looking at the stats all I was left saying is wow. His ability to guard almost anybody on the court as efficiently as he does shows he is going to be a serious problem in the league for years to come. Like Bam, Tatum made his first all-star appearance this year averaging 23.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in his third year. He had a defensive rating of 105 and his defensive win shares was fourth best at his position at 3.4. He held his opponents to shooting 43.3% from the field which was third best on the list. His steals were also second best on the list along with his steal percentage sitting at 2%. Tatum and Bam are so close stat wise it was hard to choose between the two, but I gave the edge to Tatum because I feel his perimeter defense is better than Bam’s and his interior defense is not worse than Bam’s perimeter defense. The stats were so similar that this one came down to the eye test and my eye told me Tatum had a bigger effect on the opposing players but not by much at all.
2. Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
Anthony Davis was able to play the position he feels he is best at this year and it showed he can be utilized more efficiently at this position. He averaged 26.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. His rim protection and ability to play the passing lanes is elite and it showed blocking shots 6.2% percent of the time he was on the field and stealing it 2.1% of the time which were both the best on the list. He also held his opponents to shooting 38.5% from the field which is better than Rudy Gobert. His 101 defensive rating was also second best on the list. His defensive rebounding is not elite, being the same as Tatum at 7.1 per game but its fifth best at his position. Being in every category on this list at top 5 and the obvious eye test shows he is one of the best defenders in the league but still not the best at his position.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Giannis is the definition of a freak of nature. From his name to the way he plays everything about him is just hard to understand. The former MVP is the leader of the best defensive team in the league. He averaged 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block per game. Giannis defense does not show up in the per game stats put looking at the advanced stats and watching him play he separates himself from everybody else. He has the best defensive rating in the league sitting at 96 and he holds his opponents to shooting a disgusting 36.1% from the field. He also has the best defensive win shares in the league sitting at 4.8. He is also blowing all power forwards out the water in defensive rebounds per game at 11.5. His defensive IQ is very high in pick and roll situations and it does not matter if you get a switch because his length and athleticism allows him to guard the point guard all the way down to the center if need be. Giannis will be a force in the league on both sides of the ball for a long time with all of his abilities and God given gifts.
The power forward position is becoming one of the most versatile positions in basketball. They can shoot from the mid-range or from beyond the arc while being able to dominate the paint at the same time. With all of that in mind it makes being a defender at the position that much harder.This is part two of five showing off the best defenders in the NBA for their respective positions for the 2019- 2020 season. I will be using the same blueprint that I used for the centers which is defensive statistics and of course the eye test. If you missed it the 9 stats were defensive ratings, defensive field goal percentage, defensive win shares, block percentage, steals percentage, defensive rebounding percentage, steals per game, blocks per game and defensive rebounds per game with a minimum of 30 games played.
With me being a Knicks fan it hurts me that Kristaps is on this list because it highlights our flaws as an organization once again, but that's besides the point. Kristaps had a very good comeback season after not playing last season due to injury. He averaged 19.2 points per game with 9.5 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. His spot on this list is mainly for his rim protection with the second most blocks per game in his position blocking shots 5.6% of the time he was on the floor. He also held his opponents to shooting 45% from the field and had the fourth best defensive rating out of the players on this list sitting at 106. In the paint Kristaps was always good defensively, his only flaws is when you bring him outside the paint and make him defend the perimeter. His lateral quickness is just not good enough to keep up with the smaller, more versatile power forwards in the league, but overall he is still a very good defender.
4. Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
Bam Adebayo was given a larger role with the Heat this year and he definitely made the most out of it. He had 16.2 points per game, 10.5 rebounds per game, 1.3 blocks per game, and 1.2 steals per game while making his first all-star appearance in his third season. Bam was top five in his position in every statistic except steal percentage and defensive ratings where he tied with Kristaps at 106. He had the second most defensive rebounds per game as a power forward at 8.0 a game, meaning he was grabbing a rebound 25% of the time he was on the floor. He also had the third most blocks per game on this list and his steals were the fifth best in the league at his position. He was able to guard inside and outside with ease making it hard for his opponents to score forcing them to shoot 43.4% from the field. His progression is amazing to me and his versatility is what landed him the fourth spot on this list.
3. Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)
Every list I make there is a player that surprises me with how good they are defensively, this time it's Jayson Tatum. After watching some tape and looking at the stats all I was left saying is wow. His ability to guard almost anybody on the court as efficiently as he does shows he is going to be a serious problem in the league for years to come. Like Bam, Tatum made his first all-star appearance this year averaging 23.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 0.9 blocks per game in his third year. He had a defensive rating of 105 and his defensive win shares was fourth best at his position at 3.4. He held his opponents to shooting 43.3% from the field which was third best on the list. His steals were also second best on the list along with his steal percentage sitting at 2%. Tatum and Bam are so close stat wise it was hard to choose between the two, but I gave the edge to Tatum because I feel his perimeter defense is better than Bam’s and his interior defense is not worse than Bam’s perimeter defense. The stats were so similar that this one came down to the eye test and my eye told me Tatum had a bigger effect on the opposing players but not by much at all.
2. Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
Anthony Davis was able to play the position he feels he is best at this year and it showed he can be utilized more efficiently at this position. He averaged 26.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game. His rim protection and ability to play the passing lanes is elite and it showed blocking shots 6.2% percent of the time he was on the field and stealing it 2.1% of the time which were both the best on the list. He also held his opponents to shooting 38.5% from the field which is better than Rudy Gobert. His 101 defensive rating was also second best on the list. His defensive rebounding is not elite, being the same as Tatum at 7.1 per game but its fifth best at his position. Being in every category on this list at top 5 and the obvious eye test shows he is one of the best defenders in the league but still not the best at his position.
1. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks)
Giannis is the definition of a freak of nature. From his name to the way he plays everything about him is just hard to understand. The former MVP is the leader of the best defensive team in the league. He averaged 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block per game. Giannis defense does not show up in the per game stats put looking at the advanced stats and watching him play he separates himself from everybody else. He has the best defensive rating in the league sitting at 96 and he holds his opponents to shooting a disgusting 36.1% from the field. He also has the best defensive win shares in the league sitting at 4.8. He is also blowing all power forwards out the water in defensive rebounds per game at 11.5. His defensive IQ is very high in pick and roll situations and it does not matter if you get a switch because his length and athleticism allows him to guard the point guard all the way down to the center if need be. Giannis will be a force in the league on both sides of the ball for a long time with all of his abilities and God given gifts.
Porzingis is a stiff that can only block and alter shots. Give me Siakam who is clearly the better perimeter defender that can hold his own in the paint.
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