Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA: Top 10 Candidates For Defensive Player Of The Year Award In 2016-17

By Gerald Bourguet

November 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) shoots the basketball against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
November 21, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) shoots the basketball against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
8 of 11
Next
NBA
Sep 26, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics center-forward Al Horford (42) during media day at the Boston Celtic Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Al Horford

Avery Bradley was the member of the Boston Celtics who earned All-Defensive First Team honors last season, and with a boost in playing time, Marcus Smart may not be far behind him. But after ranking fourth in defensive rating last season, Boston’s already elite defense may take another big step with the arrival of Al Horford.

Horford isn’t the superstar-caliber player the Celtics have been trying to acquire with their treasure trove of assets for years now, but he is an idyllic fit on a well-coached team that gets after it on the defensive end.

Though he’s not an elite rim protector (1.5 blocks per game last season), Horford is a tremendous positional defender and a versatile one at that. He’s pretty much the missing link at a position of need who will not only upgrade Boston’s middling offense, but also make their stifling defense downright nightmarish.

At age 30, Horford’s entering the tail-end of his prime. But if the Celtics become one of the NBA’s stingiest defenses, you can be guaranteed the arrival of this big man will garner Horford some votes as the catalyst behind it all.