Philadelphia 76ers All-Star point guard Ben Simmons has stepped his game up to an elite level on the defensive end of the floor. He has continuously taken on the opponent’s top scorer and has put the clamps on him and that has made him a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
His work on that end has earned him some high rankings on that end of the floor, especially when defending the ball out on the perimeter. The Ringer’s Rob Mahoney has been ranking the top perimeter defenders in the league and he ranked Simmons at number 3 in the rankings just behind only Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Los Angeles Clippers two-way star Kawhi Leonard.
Mahoney on Simmons:
No defender in the league is better suited to defend every aspect of the pick-and-roll. For systems that rely on channeling an opposing guard in one direction or another, Simmons can work as a massive, active roadblock. Should he need to follow his man around a ball screen, he gives his team options—Simmons is tall enough to loom over a play as he recovers from behind it, but he’s also the tallest player in the league to regularly slink through the narrowing gap between screener and ball handler. If the Sixers would rather switch out of scheme, convenience, or desperation, it will surely help to start with a 6-10 point guard.
Simmons has constantly shut down the likes of Jimmy Butler, Bradley Beal, LeBron James, and other elite scorers that he should absolutely receive some serious consideration for the top defender award. At the very least, he should be a shoo-in for All-Defensive First Team honors. [lawrence-related id=33318,33310,33295]