The Best Defenders since 2010

Evaluating the most impactful defenders of the modern era through the DAWG metric.

Evaluating NBA defense has always been the hardest part of basketball analysis. Outdated box-score stats like blocks and steals completely fail to tell the whole story, often rewarding gamblers rather than true stoppers. In recent years, advanced metrics have emerged as a solution, but even they struggle to capture the full picture. Why? Because players have far less control over the outcome of a defensive possession compared to an offensive one, making it incredibly difficult for algorithms to accurately attribute credit. Furthermore, a player’s defensive statistical footprint is heavily dependent on their specific role on the court and the era they play in.

Every single metric has its own blind spots. Some overvalue rebounding, others are too heavily influenced by team context, and some struggle to properly evaluate perimeter players.

That’s why I created DAWG, a consensus metric that blends 5 of the most respected advanced defensive metrics available today.