Does Defense Still Win Championships in the NBA?
- Matthew Leon
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
by Matthew Leon
"Defense wins championships" is an old phrase that is constantly echoed around basketball circles. Even though the term has been repeated for generations, we've been hearing a lot about the lack of defense in the NBA recently.
Whether it's the increased foul calling by referees or the "flopping" that modern NBA stars constantly use, this seems to be the reality.
As we start to question today's defense, should we still use the "defense wins championships" quote?
The NBA's Offense is Evolving
A lot has changed since the 90s.
To start, the number of 3-point shots that teams shoot today is almost triple what it was in 2005, 20 years ago. In the 24-25 season, teams shot 37.6 threes per game, while in 2005, they only shot 16. For reference, LeBron was drafted in 2003.
In addition, the pace of the league has increased heavily. Pace is measured by calculating the number of possessions that a team has in a standard 48-minute game. The estimated average pace of NBA teams in the 24-25 season was 98.8, while in 2005 it was 90.5. That is almost a 10-possession difference, which could be a difference of 10-20 points.
If the pace and speed of the game are increasing, how can defenses keep up?
A Look At The Defense of Recent Champions
2019-20 Lakers: Balanced
The Lakers could be a pretty solid example of good defense winning championships.
With LeBron James and Anthony Davis as the core, along with aging stars such as Dwight Howard and Alex Caruso, the Lakers looked great on paper.
The stats back this up, as they had a 106.3 defensive rating in the regular season, third in the NBA that year. They were 3rd in opponent turnover percentage, and 7th in defensive rebound percentage.
They were top ten in virtually every defensive statistic, but had an outstanding offense as well. The Lakers achieved the highest field goal percentage (per 100 poss.) as well in 2020, but were bottom-ten in three point shots and percentage (per 100 poss.). They were top five in every statistic for two point shots, however.
The Lakers were overall relatively balanced and slightly better at defense.
2020-21 Bucks: Offense
The 2021 Bucks were full of firepower. Led by 2-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, they were anchored on both offense and defense. They also had stars such as Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton to bolster their defensive efforts.
The Bucks had a very good defense in their championship year, with an 111.4 defensive rating that squeezed them into the top ten. They also allowed 114.2 opponent points per game, which was ninth in the league. Milwaukee was 7th in steals and 19th in blocks, which was mediocre. They were fifth in three-point shots made and three-point percentage, and the league leader in team points per game.
Overall, although they looked good on paper, the Bucks primarily won because of their offense.
2021-22 Warriors: Defense
The 2022 Warriors looked great on offense, and they were known for their explosiveness and keen three-point shooting. With two of the greatest shooters ever in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson leading the backcourt, Golden State had been offensively thriving for years. They also had Draymond Green holding it down in the paint, alongside star forward Andrew Wiggins.
The Warriors were actually surprisingly good on defense in 2021. They were the NBA leader in defensive rating, fourth in steals, second in defensive rebounds, and 18th in blocks for the season. Offensively, they were third in three-pointers, seventh in three-point percentage, ninth in field goal percentage, and 15th in points. They had a 112.5 offensive rating, which was 17th in the league.
Overall, the Warriors were surprisingly better at defense than offense in their 2022 championship season.
2022-23 Nuggets: Balanced
The Nuggets championship run was almost completely fueled by the likeness of their star center Nikola Jokic, who has been known to thrive on offense. They also had key players such as Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr, all of whom mainly find success on offense as well.
Statistically, Denver seemingly didn't stand out anywhere. They had the 16th defensive rating in the league, were 19th in blocks, 11th in steals, and 15th in defensive rebounds. They were offensively mid-tier as well, as they were 12th in points scored, 5th in offensive rating, 18th in threes, and 4th in three-point percentage.
Overall, the Nuggets were mid-tier in everything, and slightly better at offense.
2023-24 Celtics: Balanced
The 2024 Celtics were an outstandingly balanced team on paper. Led by stars such as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the firepower was there. They also had the likeness of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday to aid them on the defensive end. On top of all this, Boston had an amazing bench and a seemingly endless supply of talent and good coaching.
The Celtics had a premier defense in 2024. They achieved the third-highest defensive rating, along with placing first in defensive rebounds, first in blocks, 26th in steals, and allowing the fifth-fewest opponent points in the league. Their offense was great as well, averaging the second-highest points per game, leading the league in threes, and placing eighth in field goal percentage. Boston was also second in three-point percentage, 14th in offensive rebounds, and had the fewest turnovers in the NBA.
Statistically, the Celtics were very balanced and excelled on both sides of the ball.
Does Defense Still Win?
Yes, kind of. Even though not every recent champion was better at defense than offense, stats don't show the whole picture. Teams with a great defense will often thrive off of fastbreaks and points off turnovers, which could inflate their offensive stats.
Most teams with a high-ranked defense will make it far, and it's frankly hard to succeed without one. In a playoff setting, when both offenses are more focused and slowed down, the only difference-maker is the defense. Defense is still becoming less and less important, but it's still the most often deciding factor in the most important games.
Overall, the quote is still widely used by coaches today, and for good reason. Defense can win championships. However, by looking at the past few years' NBA Champions, it's not hard to realize that being balanced as a team in basketball will most often lead to success. The teams that win are the gritty ones that can fill their bench with the best role-players possible.
Today's basketball is fast-paced, competitive, and builds offensive opportunities off of great defense. You can't have one without the other.