Early NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rankings

There is a common saying in sports that states that defense wins championships. In the NBA, things are no different, and every team that has won the title has had at least one great defender. 

Even though the 2011-2012 is just underway, here are 10 early-season candidates to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Some of these players have been great defenders for many years, and some are newcomers. Some may not be known for their defense, but they are off to a good start this season and could surprise us with their defensive abilities. 

Two players for each position have been chosen for this list. 

10. Danny Granger

Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers is off to a good start defensively this season. He is tied with two other players for the league lead with two blocks per game. 

Additionally, he is among the league leaders in blocked shots with 1.17 per game. 

With the emergence of young players on the team and after adding David West, Granger can focus more on defense this season. 

If he continues this pace, he will end up having a great defensive season.

9. Anderson Varejao

Anderson Varejao is currently third among power forwards in steals and is again playing well defensively for the Cleveland Cavaliers. 

He has been named to the All-Defensive Second Team in the past and could make return to it this season a he continues to play well. 

8. Ty Lawson

Ty Lawson is another young player who is off to a promising defensive start.

The Denver Nuggets point guard is leading the league in total steals with 18 and slightly trails Chris Paul for steals per game. 

The lightening-quick Lawson is a key player in Denver and has helping the Nuggets to a 5-2 record with wins over the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers.

7. DeAndre Jordan

DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers is in his fourth season in the NBA and is currently leading the league in blocked shots with three per game.

His block total is up from the 1.8 per game that he averaged last season. 

Jordan may be getting some benefit from having Chris Paul on the team, or he could just be on the verge of a break out year. 

If Jordan continues to play the way he has in the early games this year, he will be a welcome surprise for the Clippers.

6. Tony Allen

Tony Allen was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last season for his play that helped the Memphis Grizzlies to an unpredicted playoff run. 

Allen is playing well again this season and currently co-leads all players at his position with Gerald Henderson with two steals per game.

Depending on how Allen finishes this shortened season, he may make a return to the All-Defensive Team.

5. Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team nine times and to the second team on two occasions. 

He was named as the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2007-2008 season when he led the Boston Celtics to their most recent championship. 

This season, Garnett is in the top 10 of blocks per game and is once again leading the Celtics defensively.

4. Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant is not only a great scorer, he is also a great defender.

He has been named to the All-Defensive Teams 11 total times in his long career.

This season, he is again among the league leaders in blocks and steals in addition to his offensive abilities.

Bryant has been named to the first team every year for the last six seasons and will be named to that team this season as well.  

3. Chris Paul

Despite joining a new team just before the start of the season, Chris Paul has not missed a beat as one of the top defensive point guards in the league.

So far this season, he leads the league with 2.6 steals per game and is helping to transform the image of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Paul is no stranger to the All-Defensive Teams, as he has been named to the first team once and the second team on two occasions, including last season.  

2. Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard has been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year each of the last three seasons and is the most dominant defensive center in the league. 

This year, he is once again off to a good start with the most total blocks and steals at his position. 

Howard also leads the NBA with 11.7 defensive rebounds per game. 

It is very possible that Howard wins his fourth consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award. 

If he continues to play the way he has over the last several seasons, he will be difficult to beat for that award. 

1. LeBron James

LeBron James has been one of the top defensive players in the NBA for the last several seasons. 

He has been named to the All-Defensive First team each of the last three years, twice with the Cleveland Cavaliers and once with the Miami Heat. 

James is once again playing at a top defensive level. He leads the league in steals at his position and is tied for fourth league-wide.

He is also among the leaders in blocked shots. 

If there is a player in the league this season who will beat Dwight Howard for the Defensive Player of the Year Award, it would be LeBron James.