NBA Predictions 2012: LeBron James and Defensive Player of the Year Candidates

Everybody goes gaga over the speed and force of LeBron James that results in endless dunks on Sportscenter, but give the man some credit for his work he puts in on the defensive end of the floor.

The old adage “defense wins championships” has proven to be correct time and time again. How did the Miami Heat get by MVP Derrick Rose and the top-seeded Chicago Bulls?

Razor sharp defense by LeBron.

He shut Rose down and it was the big difference in the series.

This year, James is off to a magnificent start again. He already has collected four steals and three blocks in two games of action. It looks like James is desperate to erase the ghosts of last June and so far he’s off to a good start. His man-to-man defense on the opponents best player is going to be the difference for Miami yet again.

He is the early leader to earn defensive player of the year along with these two:

Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic

The Orlando center has to be on the list considering he has won the award the past three years. His ability to own the paint has made a bunch of un-athletic guards look somewhat competent on the defensive end.

While his offensive game is off to a slow start, he already has recorded five blocks in two games of action. This is the one guy that you don’t want to see as you drive the lane.

The issue with Howard right now is his sticky contract situation. Will he put forth maximum effort consistently on a team he could care less about?

Tyson Chandler - New York Knicks

This guy has already remade one defense, now it’s on to his next challenge.

He gave the Dallas Mavericks a toughness they previously didn’t possess and that turned out to be the missing ingredient to a championship.

Now he is a New York Knick, with the task of trying to turnaround one of the worst defensive teams of the last five years.

Sure it’s only one game, but his six-block performance against the Celtics should not be ignored. He was everywhere on the floor and has already provided a strong impact for New York in the paint. No more easy buckets at Madison Square Garden.

If he keeps it up, Chandler will win the coveted award.