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NBA DPOY Ladder Week 19: An underappreciated leader

By Jack Simone

Rudy Gobert (R) of the Utah Jazz and Jaren Jackson (L) of the Memphis Grizzlies fights for a position during an NBA Western Conference playoff game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies at Vivant Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 23, 2021. (Photo by GEORGE FREY / AFP) (Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images)
Rudy Gobert (R) of the Utah Jazz and Jaren Jackson (L) of the Memphis Grizzlies fights for a position during an NBA Western Conference playoff game 1 against the Memphis Grizzlies at Vivant Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 23, 2021. (Photo by GEORGE FREY / AFP) (Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images) /
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NBA DPOY Ladder Week 19: An underappreciated leader
CLEVELAND, OHIO – NOVEMBER 15: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots over Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on November 15, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio, NBA DPOY Ladder Week 19: An underappreciated leader. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

The NBA MVP award ends up getting most of the love when award season rolls around. NBA MVP Ladders are thrown out on a weekly basis like candy, but the Defensive Player of the Year award doesn’t get as much attention.

And while the MVP is supposed to capture the best all-around player in the league, it often ends up focusing on mainly offensive stats, while the other side of the game gets ignored.

Defense is quite literally half of the game, so it’s crucial to recognize the players who are constantly bringing it on that end of the floor.

So, with around a quarter of the season left, what does the DPOY race look like? Who tops the NBA DPOY Ladder right now, and who could end up catching them?

Honorable mentions: Jarrett Allen, Mikal Bridges, Draymond Green (missed games), Marcus Smart, Matisse Thybulle, Jarred Vanderbilt 

Week 19 NBA DPOY Ladder: 5. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been one of the most surprising teams in the NBA this year, and it’s been in large part due to their stifling defense

That defense has been led by two players in particular – Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. While either one could fill this spot, Mobley gets the nod for being slightly ahead of Allen in most important defensive stats.

Most notably, Mobley ranks fifth in the NBA in opponent field goal percentage (42.9 percent) and the only other big man in the top ten is Al Horford. (PJ Tucker is ninth, but does that really count?)

He also ranks second in the league in contested shots (646), trailing only Jakob Poeltl (who is lightyears ahead at 727). Mobley will undoubtedly be receiving some DPOY votes this season.