NBA Defensive Player of the Year rankings: No clear-cut choice heading into final weekend

Unlike most of the NBA's major awards, the Defensive Player of the Year race is going right down to the wire. Not much separates those in the running, so the final stretch of games will likely be the difference.

Here's a look at five players who could legitimately win the award as the 2021-22 regular season nears its end.

5. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies

Previous rank: 5

Leaving Rudy Gobert off this shortlist was a tough call, but it's hard to ignore how impactful Jackson has been for the upstart Grizzlies. The fourth-year big man leads the NBA in average blocks (2.2 per game), total swats (173), and block percentage (7.3%) while also contesting the seventh-most shots (760). Opponents shoot just 47.3% against Jackson on attempts within 10 feet of the basket, which tops all players who've defended at least 200 field goals.

Jackson's ability to contain perimeter scoring threats has been equally impressive. In Memphis' two meetings with the Brooklyn Nets this season, he held Kevin Durant to four points on 1-of-9 shooting as the primary defender. Jackson is one of five players in the Association who've contested at least 500 twos and 200 threes.

4. Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics

Previous rank: N/A

Smart is looking to become the second point guard - after Hall of Famer Gary Payton - to win Defensive Player of the Year honors. The 28-year-old is the heart and soul of the league's stingiest unit. He's a smothering on-ball defender and great communicator who can guard 1 through 5.

The Celtics feed off Smart's relentless hustle as well. Whether it's diving for a 50-50 ball or taking a charge, the Oklahoma State product isn't afraid to put his body on the line.

Smart is tied for sixth in total steals (118), tied for seventh in average deflections (2.9 per contest), and eighth in steal percentage (2.6%). He's virtually locked up a third NBA All-Defensive first-team nod in four seasons.

3. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Previous rank: N/A

Adebayo is making a late charge after missing one-and-a-half months of action. Since he returned to the lineup Jan. 17, Miami has the second-best defensive rating in the NBA, and it allows 3.5 fewer points per 100 possessions with Adebayo on the floor.

It's no coincidence that Erik Spoelstra's squad is at its best defensively with Adebayo, who contributes all over the court. The Kentucky product could begin a possession jostling for position in the paint against a big man and end it switched onto a point guard. Regardless of where Adebayo winds up, it usually doesn't end well for his opponent.

"We're one of the more unique defensive teams in the league," Spoelstra told HEAT.com's Couper Moorhead. "We have a lot of experienced, highly decorated, veteran defenders, but to do what we're doing requires a unicorn. That's what Bam is defensively. He can defend in any scheme, and he can defend any player within that scheme."

A lack of appearances is the biggest knock against Adebayo. However, that didn't stop Gobert from winning the honor and receiving 89-of-101 first-place votes in 2017-18 despite playing in just 56 games.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Previous rank: 1

Antetokounmpo has almost single-handedly kept the Bucks' defense from falling apart. The Greek Freak played a career-high 39% of his minutes at the 5, filling in for defensive anchor Brook Lopez with little shot-blocking depth behind him for most of the season.

Milwaukee ranks only 14th in defensive efficiency but plays at nearly a top-three level with Antetokounmpo on the floor. The reigning Finals MVP has specifically bolstered the Bucks' interior defense. The club has surrendered the fourth-fewest points in the paint per game largely thanks to Antetokounmpo's rim-protecting prowess. The All-Star forward is also holding opponents to 52.6% shooting on attempts within 6 feet of the basket, which is the fifth-best clip among players who've defended at least 300 field goals.

Perhaps the best illustration of Antetokounmpo's influence is that only 28.4% of shots against Milwaukee come at the rim, according to Cleaning the Glass. This is mostly due to his superb help defense and court coverage.

1. Mikal Bridges, Phoenix Suns

Previous rank: 3

From Stephen Curry to DeMar DeRozan, Bridges draws the opposition's top perimeter threat nightly and shadows them pretty much every second they're on the floor. He hounds his counterpart when they have the rock and chases them through screens when they're in motion without the ball. Bridges leads all qualified players in average defensive distance covered (1.29 miles) and total minutes played.

Despite the heavy workload, his effectiveness hasn't dipped. Opponents average less than a point per possession against Bridges when they attack in isolation sets or while coming off screens. Meanwhile, the 25-year-old's timely rotations, multi-positional defending, and use of length to disrupt passing lanes have all been major components of the Suns' second-ranked defense.

Bridges' high defensive intensity comes with equally great discipline. He registers just 1.9 personal fouls per contest and has played 36 games with zero or one foul this season.

Honorable mentions: Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz), Robert Williams (Boston Celtics), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Jarrett Allen (Cleveland Cavaliers)