Porzingis hasn't just grown into an offensive star, he's become a defensive monster as well
There are a lot of ways to evaluate defense. There's the old school way, where all you need is a pair of eyes, a scout's mentality, and a whole lot of "I don't care what the anuhlytics say Erneh, I know what good defense is." (If you prefer the broadcaster version, "I don't need analytics to tell me LeBron is good. I know that, I can see that.") You can learn a lot about a player's defensive skills, effort level, and overall ability by watching him, but we all know that there's more to it than that. You can go the new school way, in which the most important things are those analytic metrics, the stop percentage, the points allowed per shots faced, the turnovers forced, all that good stuff. It's informative, sure, but it's pretty boring too when you think about it.
You could do it those ways, the outdated way or the boring way, OR you can do it the fun way and just look at things like blocks and steals! That's the exciting stuff, I mean, just look at that picture of Porzingis above, you know you want to go find the video of that block now and watch it yourself. Remember when Kawhi did this to Ben McLemore? Come on, tell me that's not entertaining!
Sorry, got a bit carried away there. Steals and blocks, while not perfect as defensive stats, are important, as they represent offensive possessions that got stopped. A shot has 0% chance of going in if it's been blocked, and you can't even get a shot up if the ball is stolen from you. These are important and we should recognize and celebrate the players who rack up these stats. So without further ado, here's the list of players averaging at least 3.5 combined steals and blocks per game, among players who have qualified by the DDS Leaderboards.
1. Willie Cauley-Stein, Denver Nuggets, 1.2 steals per game, 2.9 blocks per game
I'll admit, seeing WCS statline is what got me curious about this in the first place. WCS may not do a whole lot on the offensive end, but his ability to be the backline of defense and force turnovers is what drew me to acquiring him a year ago. In fact, he is the only player in the league to eclipse 4+ steals and blocks.
t2. Kristaps Porzingis, Utah Jazz, 1.4 steals per game, 2.3 blocks per game
Porzingis has made incredible leaps and bounds in his game this season. There's something in the water in Utah, because not only has he stepped up into the 3.5 club for the first time in his career, but he's also taking on the offensive load as well. I don't know if I'd rather have him or Exum, but this is the best case scenario for the type of return you'd get when trading a star. Utah's in good hands here.
t2. Okaro White, Phoenix Suns, 2.3 steals per game, 1.4 blocks per game
Everyone knows about Okaro. Four-time DPOY winner (and four consecutive years at that), unquestioned defensive leader of the Phoenix Suns who won their title on the backs of their defense, I mean, what more needs to be said about this guy.
t4. Joel Embiid, Orlando Magic, 0.9 steals per game, 2.7 blocks per game
It's a shame that Embiid will miss 20+ games this season as he had been playing really inspired ball for the Magic prior to his injury. Part of the reason he's in this club is also probably part of the reason he's injured: he was playing the most minutes of his career at 33 minutes per game. Prior to arriving in Orlando, he had never eclipsed 30 mpg. When he comes back, he'll be playing alongside Andre Drummond (presumably) and so while his raw numbers will certainly decline, hopefully Embiid can keep up the impact of his play on the defensive end.
t4. Jordan Adams, Memphis Grizzlies, 2.5 steals per game, 1.1 blocks per game
Adams is the only other perimeter player on this list besides White, and that by itself should say a whole lot about his game. Andrei is certainly never going to let Adams go, as he's very defensive minded and Adams is one of the best in the game. He has never been in the 3.5+ club before this year, but Memphis has let him loose and he's responded by picking his game up even more.
And that's it! There are only 5 players in the league who have met the 3.5 blocks + steals threshold. There are a few others who have come close, so here's the honorable mentions list.
Anthony Davis, New Orleans Pelicans, 1.4 steals, 2 blocks
Hassan Whiteside, Atlanta Hawks, 0.7 steals, 2.6 blocks
Draymond Green, Indiana Pacers, 1.7 steals, 1.6 blocks
Derrick Favors, Golden State Warriors, 1.2 steals, 2.1 blocks
2028
