Defensive Player Ladder: Ben Simmons steals first place

Defensive Player Ladder: Ben Simmons steals first place

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76ers star Ben Simmons held Luka Doncic with six points from 3 of 7 shots in last week’s victory over the Mavericks.

Ben Simmons didn’t go up to the top step of the Defensive Player’s Ladder simply by talking to him. He did this by winning on the court for the Philadelphia 76ers – and then talking about himself as the NBA’s best defensive player.

In mid-February, after some stellar defensive work against Portland Kia’s MVP contender Damian Lillard, Simmons said, “It’s not a single thing. If you watch me, I’m usually defending the best player. … I feel like the best defender in the NBA. “

Two weeks later, it was Dallas’ Luka Doncic getting blocked in the minutes that Simmons faced him. Doncic shrugged – “I don’t really pay attention to who’s in me” – but Simmons didn’t. “It’s an incompatibility almost every time I walk on the floor,” he said. “I feel like the best defensive player in the league.”

If it’s defense versatility that you prefer, if it’s a man’s ability to lock and lock everyone from the point guards to the attackers – or what used to be known as before this era of so-called “basketball without position” – then Simmons probably it’s your man.

He can focus (as part of coach Doc Rivers ‘defensive game plan) or change (in the heat of a Sixers’ ball possession) at least 80% of NBA players. And the pride he has for these tasks goes far beyond self-promotion, contributing to the rise of Philadelphia this season in the defensive and net classification.

Rivers recently compared Simmons to an early pitcher and a closer baseball player for his ability to tease scorers from a turnaround or throw a net at a troubled player along the way. “Ben is a chameleon,” said the Sixers coach. “We are not afraid to put it 1 to 5 in necessary goods.”

Throughout the first half of this season, according to NBA.com statistics, Simmons was the main defender of the opponent’s top scorer 11 times on nine different players. This includes threats like Lillard, Doncic, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell and LeBron James.

In Thursday’s game against the Mavericks, Simmons protected Doncic by 7:28, more than 70 percent of Doncic’s offensive playing time. He held the Dallas star with six points out of 3 out of 7 shots, including 0 out of 3 from the hoop. He forced four moves for just one assist. (Matchup numbers between players can be found here. In the drop-down list, switch from traditional to matchups.)

This is the All-Star defense – perhaps the Kia Defensive Player of the Year defense – producing something less than the All-Star attack.

Teammate Dwight Howard, a three-time DPOY winner, commented on the point guard who could come face to face with him. “A few games ago, he was playing against Rudy Gobert, and now he is playing against Luka,” said Howard. “He took on the idea that ‘I can play anyone’, that ‘I can control anyone in defense'”.

With his flip-flop at the top of this week’s Defensive Ladder, Simmons worked and campaigned for first place, with half a season to go.

This week’s Top 5 on the 2020-21 Defensive Player Ladder:

(All statistics until Monday, March 1st)

1. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers

Last week’s standings: No. 2

Even when things are not going well for the defense of the Six, Simmons seems to be doing his part. Rivers worsened Team D’s transition after losing to Cleveland overtime last weekend, in which Cavs guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland added 53 points. But when Simmons was placed with them, they got only eight of them, according to NBA.com statistics. Simmons is tied for leading the league in deflections (3.9) and loose ball recovery (1.4), and his net rating (14.0) last week was better than Gobert’s (11.3).

2. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

Last week’s standings: No. 1

We approach hamburger vs. nature. NBA defense hot dog last week – there are perimeter defenders and rim protectors, and it’s all a matter of taste or necessity. The Jazz big man is still the class of the latter, and his team would not accept it any other way. It doesn’t matter that he is rarely called upon to defend the opponent’s top scorer. Gobert smothers and discourages entire offenses with his presence and help. Utah is 14.4 points better in the 30.5 minutes he is on the ground, including 7.8 points better defensively.

3. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

Last week’s standings: n ° 3

Right behind Gobert in the protection of the rim, the Pacers pivot has faced 17.9 attempts at shooting per game and bothering snipers with 41.8% accuracy (remember, it’s basically 2 points). This is 6.7% better than those players normally shoot. Indiana ranks third in blocked shots and Turner accounts for 72.2 percent of them.

4. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

Last week’s standings: No. 4

The Lakers still boasts the best defensive ranking in the league (105.1), with Anthony Davis out since Valentine’s Day, and is ranked in the Top 5 in blocks, defensive rebounds, percentage of opponent throws, opponent free-throw attempts and field opponents’ actual percentage of goal. James leads the NBA in defensive winning stocks (0.178) and ranks fourth in the defensive ranking (102.6), with a net rating of 9.2.

5. Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets

Last week’s standings: N / A

If it’s the perimeter defense you want, pay attention to Murray. The Denver guard is responsible for hitting 6.8 shots per game of 15 feet or more, and his impact on these pitchers is great. Normally accurate 37.7% of the time in this range, Murray reduced them to 28.8%, a gain of 8.9%.

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Steve Aschburner has been writing about the NBA since 1980. You can email him here, find his file here and follow him on Twitter.

The opinions on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting.

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