The Miami Heat had one thing in mind when putting together this roster this offseason – defense. They added some great pieces, most of whom are elite defenders.
Adding Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker to the squad makes them one of the best defenses in the league. They haven’t even played a game together and they are already being regarded as a top defense.
Miami finished as a top-six defense last year, and it seems as though they could do even better than that this year. That being said, there are some other great defensive teams in the NBA.
Which teams will challenge the Miami Heat for the title of “the best defense in the league”? What teams could end up being a better defense than Miami?
Teams that could have a better defense than the Miami Heat: Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year on their roster. That’s no coincidence, as they are one of the best defensive teams in the league.
Utah had a top-five defense in the NBA last season, and they are primed to have one again this year. With the pieces they have, they should be just as dominant on that end of the floor.
Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Mike Conley, and Royce O’Neale are all great defenders. Add Rudy Gobert into that mix, and it’s tough to argue against them being elite on defense.
They could easily finish the season as the best defense in the league this season, and no one would bat an eye. They’ve been one of the best defensive teams for the better part of the last decade.
Miami has all the tools to be a great defensive team, but so do the Jazz. It’s a toss-up as to who finishes as the better defense this year.