NBA Defensive Player of the Year Ladder 3.0: Rudy Gobert, Kawhi Leonard breaking away

LeBron James does not rank among the league leaders in either steals or blocked shots. But defense is more than statistics and the Los Angeles Lakers’ star has seriously stepped up his defensive play after being severely criticized for his indifference on that end last season.

That isn’t to say James can’t pick the ball when he wants to. He had five steals against the New York Knicks in L.A.’s 100-92 win at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 22, the most he’s had in more than two years, since getting six for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a win over the Orlando Magic at Amway Center on Jan. 6, 2018.

It was the 36th time in James’ career he’s had at least five steals in a game. His career-high of seven swipes came in his second season in a road win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Dec. 13, 2004.

At the time, it was the most steals in an NBA game ever recorded by a teenager (James was 19 at the time). That mark was broken by Jrue Holiday, who had seven steals for the Philadelphia 76ers as an 18-year-old on March 26, 2010.

The Lakers have the fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA this season at 106.1. Four weeks ago, L.A. was third on that list at 104.5, but their defense fell off to 13th over the team’s last 12 games, posting a 111.2 defensive rating. Their net rating has fallen from plus-7.9 to plus-7.0 in that span, falling from second to third in the NBA in the process.

But the Lakers, with 38 wins, already have topped last year’s victory total and have won more games already in 50 games this season than they have since they finished 45-37 in 2012-13, the last time Los Angeles went to the playoffs. James’ defensive renaissance has been a big part of their success this season.

At age 35, James would also be the oldest player to ever be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year — one of the few awards he hasn’t won. Dikembe Mutombo was in his age 34 season when he won the award in 2000-01, a season he split between the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers to become the only player to be DPOY in a season playing for more than one team.