All but four teams have now turned to the first big milestone of the NBA offseason: the draft.
New York, Indiana, Oklahoma City and Minnesota are still battling it out in the postseason, though, and it’s guaranteed at least one championship drought is ending soon.
One trend that shows in every single postseason — but especially so this year — has been defense. Scoring and general offense is often the flashiest of traits, but defensive-minded teams have continued their run, while some of the best scoring team’s in the league have been ousted.
The longtime favorites to win the title in the Thunder best exemplify this. Outside of the leading scorer in the NBA in soon-to-be MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team is largely fueled by its defense-first mentality. Players like Chet Holmgren, Cason Wallace, Luguentz Dort and Alex Caruso best portray this, but even the likes of Gilgeous-Alexander and other scorers have taken a defense-first approach to make up one of the best units of all time, statistically.
Across from the Thunder are the Timberwolves, who share in this identity. While star Anthony Edwards is a prolific scorer, he can also defend on the wing with the best of them when locked in. Minnesota also employs four-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert in the paint, along with stopper Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and plenty more.
In the East, the Knicks, too, have made defense a priority. Over the last two seasons, they’ve added some of the best two-way wings and forwards in the league in Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart betwixt Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The lone exception to the rule this season is the Pacers, who while surely leaning more into quick-paced offensive identity, certainly still have a capable defense.
NBA teams at the draft should certainly take note of defense driving impact in the NBA. That doesn’t necessarily mean exclusively driving defense-first players, but highly-limited two-way players don’t often see postseason impact, as has been apparent for decades.
