All NSL Defensive Teams

All Defensive NSL 1^st Team:

Point Guard: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Milwaukee Bucks

Shooting Guard: Alex Caruso, Oklahoma City Thuner

Small Forward: Kevin Durant, Los Angeles Lakers

Power Forward: Anthony Davis, Minnesota Timberwolves

Center: Victor Wembanyama, Indiana Pacers

Do you see a trend surfacing?  Most of these players play for teams with championship aspirations.  All of these players play for teams currently locked into a playoff or play-in spot (sorry Wemby).  Statistically speaking, these are the best defensive players the league has to offer.  SGA is averaging 1.9 steals per game, good for 3^rd in all of the NSL, and first amongst point guards.  Caruso has the crown of the steal king of the NSL, averaging over 2 steals per game, and blocks the most shots of any backcourt player in the NSL.  OKC has been lights out, and a much better defensive team since his inclusion.  Kevin Durant�s numbers don�t jump off the page, but he averages over 1 block per game, and .9 steals.  He�s consistently relied upon by the Lakers to guard the other team�s best player and relished and thrived in the role.  Anthony Davis is probably the only threat to Wemby for the defensive player of the year award through about a third of the season.  He�s averaging 3 blocks per game and adding in 1.2 steals per game.  Davis holds down the defensive front court, and potentially forms the league�s best defensive duo with Jimmy Butler.  Wemby is putting up insane defensive numbers, even as far as video game standards go.  He�s averaging over 5 blocks per game, and 1.2 steals.  When watching Wemby in-game, it leads one to question how it is you are supposed to score in the paint.  The combination of his wingspan, height, and leaping ability allows him to challenge what seems like every shot. 

All Defensive NSL 2^nd Team:

Point Guard: Donte DiVincenzo, Minnesota Timberwolves

Shooting Guard: OG Anunoby, Milwaukee Bucks

Small Forward:  Paul George, Portland Trailblazers

Power Forward: Giannis Antetokounmpo, San Antonion Spurs

Center: Nic Claxton, Chicago Bulls

The 2^nd team had some tough competition at nearly every position.  At point guard, Donte DiVincenzo has proven himself as valuable as any free agent acquisition this season.  He�s averaging a steal and a half on the season and is a less-talked-about contributor to one of the leagues elite defenses in Minnesota.  I am happy to give him his flowers. OG Anunoby has some impressive stats boasting 1.6 steals per game, and almost half a block, but the numbers hardly paint the picture with regards to OG�s defensive impact.  He is the wing stopper tasked with facing off against many of the Bucks opponents #1 options and does valiantly to free up some defensive pressure from SGA�s plate, allowing him to focus more on offense, which we�ve seen has been a brilliant gameplan in the early going for Milwaukee.  PG13 was one of many candidates considered for the 2^nd team spot, but I figured I�d throw JMac a bone(your welcome).  PG13 is averaging 1.2 steals and .3 blocks per game.  Another defender whose defensive impact does not always translate to the numbers, but he can lock an opposing #1 with the best of them.  Giannis just etched out his San Antonio running mate Bol Bol.  He averages half a block less than Bol per game, averaging 2.2 BPG, but his steals are well above Bol�s.  Giannis is, and likely will be for some time, the ultimate defensive weapon in 2k.  My heart said to give this spot to the big man in the purple and gold, but my head said it was better to show some recognition to a deserving candidate in Claxton, and GM in Jonathan.  Claxton�s numbers are impressive, averaging over 3 blocks per game, along with 1 steal per game.  Sticky fingered big men are rare breeds in this iteration of 2k, and the Bulls have one.  It helps that he sends guys packing on a frequent basis as well.

All Defensive NSL 3^rd Team

Point Guard: Donovan Mitchell, Los Angeles Lakers

Shooting Guard:  Mikal Bridges, Chicago Bulls

Small Forward:  Scottie Barnes, Cleveland Cavaliers

Power Forward: Bol Bol, San Antonio Spurs

Center: Joel Embiid, Utah Jazz

Tough call on the 3^rd team PG spots.  Honerable mentions will be listed below, but Jrue Holiday of the Spurs could have easily been here.  Mitchell gets the nod due to his 1.6 steals per game average, good for 5^th in all of the NSL.  During the writing of this article, I realized I have started to identify with GM Jonathan much more, almost solely due to the fact that is must be polarizing and confusing to see his team not have success.  Sure, Lamelo has missed time, but with 2 all defensive NSL guys, and some scorers, you�d expect them to be racking in more W�s.  Scottie Barnes get�s some well overdo shine.  He�s another guys who�s impact spans well beyond the stat sheet, though nobodies scoffing at averages of 1 steal, and over half a block per game.  Bol Bol has some video game type numbers.  He�s not quite Wemby, but averages of 2.7 blocks and half a steal per game put him in territory not far from the expected ROTY.  2.8 blocks and 1.4 steals are absurd numbers, especially in the steals department for one of the leagues penultimate stars.  Embiid has stepped up his thievery skills this season, and earned his place on this team. 

Honorable Mention:

Point Guards: Jrue Holliday, Chris Paul, DeAnthony Melton

Shooting Guards: Dejounte Murray, Matisse Thybulle, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Small Forwards: Ausar Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Jaylen Brown

Power Forwards: Jabari Smith Jr., Bam Adebayo, Aleksej Pokusevski

Centers: Chet Holmgren, Andre Drummond, Jaren Jackson Jr.