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2016-17 NBA Awards Season: Top 10 Defensive Player Of The Year Candidates

By Gerald Bourguet

Apr 10, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) passes the ball out against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2017; Oakland, CA, USA; Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) passes the ball out against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) during the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Defensive Player Of The Year
Mar 29, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Staples Center. The Clippers won 133-124. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

7. Chris Paul

Chris Paul missed 21 games this season, and because the Los Angeles Clippers only ranked 13th in defensive efficiency, it’s hard to see him coming close to anyone in the top half of this list.

But because he’s been so good/underrated for so long, and because he once again averaged 2.0 steals per game for an entire season, we have to give something of a lifetime achievement shout-out to CP3 in this category, especially since he’s never won Defensive Player of the Year despite making the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team six times.

Paul’s brilliance on the offensive end often makes it easy to overlook his year-in, year-out greatness on the defensive end, which extends far beyond his historic steal numbers. Not only can CP3 control games with his ball handling, court vision and playmaking, but he can also mitigate the production of one of the league’s most loaded positions on the defensive end.

At age 31, it’s highly unlikely Chris Paul ever seriously throws his name into the ring for DPOY, but he deserves a spot in the top 10 nonetheless.