In basketball, the lower the defense rating, the better the performance, and today, we are looking at the 12 best NBA defenses.
The defensive rating is used in the NBA and other basketball leagues to measure the efficiency of the players or the teams’ defense strategy overall.
While most of the time, higher statistics are considered better, it is the opposite in defense rating.
Today we are looking at the 12 NBA teams with the best defensive rating and not of an individual player. The rating is based on the team’s performance in the current 2022 season.
With that, we present to you the 12 best NBA defenses of 2022, with their best defensive rating at the time of preparation of this article!
Quick Overview
Here is a quick preview of the NBA teams and their defensive rating.
| NBA Team | Defensive Rating |
| 12. Dallas Mavericks | 110.9 |
| 11. Minnesota Timberwolves | 110.7 |
| 10. Toronto Raptors | 110.6 |
| 9. Chicago Bulls | 110.5 |
| 8. Miami Heat | 110.2 |
| 7. Los Angeles Lakers | 109.9 |
| 6. New Orleans Pelicans | 109.6 |
| 5. Phoneix Suns | 109.0 |
| 4. Philadelphia 76ers | 108.3 |
| 3. Cleveland Cavaliers | 108.2 |
| 2. Los Angeles Clippers | 107.6 |
| 1. Milwaukee Bucks | 106.5 |
12 Best NBA Defense
We have prepared our list based on ratings provided by NBA.com.
12. Dallas Mavericks
On number 12 is the Dallas Mavericks, a professional team based in Dallas. It competes in the NBA as a Western Conference Southwest Division member, and the current head coach of the franchise is the former player Jason Kidd.
On June 17, 2021, Rick Carlisle resigned from the head coach position. He served in the position for 13 seasons. Under Kidd’s coaching, the Mavericks were able to finish the 2021-22 season with a 52-30 record.
Similarly, the franchise won its first playoff series since the 2011 championship series. The Mavericks also advanced to the first Western Conference Finals in 2022 since their 2011 championship.
The Maverick has a sellout streak, including 67 playoff games in North American major league sports.
Since its inaugural, the franchise has won four division titles, two conference championships, and an NBA championship.
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11. Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves is a professional basketball team and NBA member from Western Conference Northwest Division. The team is based in Minneapolis.
On February 21, 2021, Chris Finch was hired as the head coach for the franchise. Under Finch’s management, the Timberwolves finished the season with a 23-49 record and missed the playoffs.
The Timberwolves started their 2021-22 season on October 20, playing against the Houston Rockets. Similarly, they were able to qualify for the 2022 NBA playoffs.
On July 1, 2022, the team traded Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt, and four future first-round draft picks.
Since its founding, the Timberwolves have won one division title.
10. Toronto Raptors
Number 10 on the list of the 12 NBA best defenses is the Toronto-based professional basketball team, Toronto Raptors. They are members of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division of the NBA.
Nick Nurse fills the head coach position of the Raptors. He was promoted to the post in 2018, and in 2020, he signed a multi-year contract extension with the franchise.
Before the 2021-22 season, Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa signed with the team. Despite multiple vital players being injured, the Raptors were able to enter the 2022 NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed.
However, the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Raptors in the first round in six games.
The franchise has won seven division titles, one conference title, and one championship.
9. Chicago Bulls
With a defensive rating of 110.5, on number 9 is the Chigaco Bulls. They are a Chicago-based team and are NBA’s Eastern Conference Central Division members.
The franchise is known for having one of the greatest dynasties of the NBA and for popularizing the league worldwide. Currently, their head coach is the former professional basketball player Billy Donovan.
Donovan was hired in the position on September 22, 2020. On new year’s eve of 2022, the Bulls played against the Indian Pacers in the 4th quarter and won the game 108-106.
Similarly, they won the next game on New Year’s Day and nine games in a row.
They managed to finish 6th in the Eastern Conference. Since their inaugural game, the Bulls have won nine division titles, six championships, and six conference titles.
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8. Miami Heat
Number 8 on our list of the 12 best NBA defenses is the Miami-based professional basketball team, Miami Heat. They compete in the NBA as an Eastern Conference Southeast Division member.
Erik Spoelstra is the head coach of the Heat and has been handling the position since 2008. The franchise holds the record for the third-longest winning streak of 27 straight games in the history of the NBA.
During the 2020-21 season, the Heat struggled to give consistent performance. The team finished as the sixth seed at the end of the season. In the 2021 off-season, the Heat acquired Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker.
The Miami Heat, since their inaugural game, has won fifteen division titles, six conference titles, and three championships.
7. Los Angeles Lakers
The next NBA team with the best defensive rating is Los Angeles Lakers. The team is the NBA’s Western Conference Pacific Division member.
The franchise is one of the most successful teams in the history of the NBA, with 17 championships.
Similarly, they have won 19 conference titles and 33 division titles. Darvin Ham is the head coach of the Lakers, and he was hired on June 3, 2022.
During the 2019-20 season, the team was among the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble. They finished the regular season with a 52-19 and entered the playoffs as the top seed.
The Lakers signed many NBA veterans during the 2021 off-season.
6. New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans have a defensive rating of 109.6 and are sixth best NBA defense team. The New Orleans-based team is a member of the NBA’s Western Conference Southwest Division.
The Pelicans hired Willie Green in the head coach position on July 22, 20221. Under his coaching, they finished with a 36-46 record and finished ninth in the Western Conference that season.
They were one of the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble.
In 2022, they entered the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2018. Since its founding, the team has won one division title.
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5. Phoneix Suns
The fifth team on our list is the Phoneix Suns. They are members of the NBA’s Western Conference Pacific Division based in Phoenix, Arizona. The team is one of the four major league sports teams from the Phoenix area.
The Suns signed the head coach Monty Williams in May 2019. The team has the second-highest winning percentage among the NBA teams who have never won the NBA championship.
They have won eight division titles and three conference titles to date.
The team began its 2021-22 season with a 1-3. The Suns won against the Detroit Pistons with a score of 114-103, giving them their 18th consecutive win and breaking their previous franchise record of 17 games.
The Suns stood victorious against the New Orleans Pelicans in game six in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. However, they lost to Dallas Mavericks in game seven in the second round.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a member of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA.
The 76ers hired Doc Rivers in the head coach position on October 3, 2020. Under Rivers’ coaching, the team scored 49-23 and cliched the first seed in the Eastern Conference.
Similarly, they captured the division titles for the first time in 20 years. The 76ers finished their 2021-22 season with a 51-31 record, led by Joel Embiid, James Harden, and Tyrese Maxey.
The 76ers are among the only eight teams to survive the first decade of the NBA. Since their inaugural, they have won 12 division titles, five conference titles, and three championships.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers
Number 3 on our list of the 12 best NBA defenses is the Cleveland Cavaliers, with a defensive rating of 108.2. The team is a member of the NBA’s Eastern Conference Central Division based in Cleveland.
JB Bickerstaff was hired and signed in the head coach position of the Cavaliers on December 25, 2021. He has signed a multi-year contract extension with the team.
The Cavaliers finished the 2021-22 season with a 44-38 record and eighth in the Eastern Conference. Similarly, they also qualified for the NBA Play-In Tournament for the first time.
It was the team’s first postseason basketball since 2017-18. However, the Cavaliers did not make it out of the Play-In Tournament when they lost to Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.
The Cavaliers have won seven division titles, five conference titles, and one championship.
2. Los Angeles Clippers
The second team on our list is the Los Angeles Clippers. They are a member of the Pacific Division in the NBA’s Western Conference and based in Los Angeles.
The franchise is under the coaching of head coach Tyronn Lue. Lue is a former professional player who served as the lead assistant coach for the team in the 2019-20 season. He was promoted to head coach on October 20, 2020.
The Clippers were among the 22 teams invited to the NBA Bubble. The team finished the season with a 49-23 record as the second seed of the Western Conference.
During the 2021 playoffs, they defeated the top-seeded Utah Jazz in the semifinals.
It was the Clippers’ first Western Conference Finals appearance. However, they lost the finals to the Phoenix Suns in six games.
Since their inaugural game, the Clippers have won two division titles.
1. Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are the number one team with the best defense in the NBA, with a defensive rating of 106.5. The team based in Milwaukee is a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division.
Mike Budenholzer has been serving as the franchise’s head coach since May 17, 2018. During the 2020-21 season, the Bucks finished with 46-26 as the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
Similarly, they also won their third consecutive Central Division title.
The Bucks began their 2021 NBA playoffs by defeating the Miami Heat.
The Bucks faced off against the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals. They came down with a win in the NBA finals by 2-0.
The franchise is the only team to win a championship in both Eastern and Western conferences. They have won 17 division titles, three conference titles, and two championships.
Conclusion
So these are the top 12 best NBA defense teams of the 2022 season. Although the season is yet to end, we have seen Milwaukee Bucks giving their best defensive game in the league.
It will be interesting to see how the teams will perform until the end of the 2022 season and how the ratings will change. Thank you for your time!
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