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Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs

No, we're not saying Kawhi Leonard is a bad defender. He's still a phenomenal one who should receive award hype after winning Defensive Player of the Year each of the last two campaigns. But that's based largely on the eye test and contextual evidence, since his numbers weren't strong enough to merit placement in these rankings.

At the time of data collection, Leonard ranked No. 91 in ESPN.com's defensive real plus/minus (DRPM)—a shocking placement after a top-10 finish in 2015-16. He sat just outside the top 40 in NBA Math's defensive points saved (DPS). And though opponents shot worse against him as an individual, the San Antonio Spurs were allowing 8.5 fewer points per 100 possessions with him off the court, giving him an on/off differential that topped only four qualified players.

Why? You might as well including a shrugging emoticon.

Maybe this is a fluke, driven by unsustainable three-point percentages from the opposition while he's playing. After all, while players can prevent three-point attempts, they can't do much to alter their success rates over large samples. Perhaps this is all a credit to the Spurs' schemes (we'll have more on this later on). It could be opponents' willingness to leave him isolated in the corner while they play four-on-four, as CBS Sports' Matt Moore has broken down.

Regardless, Leonard's exclusion is emblematic of the need to apply context to defensive numbers. So don't view his omission as anything more than what it is: a fluke that's in no way meant to be interpreted as an insult to one of the game's great wing stoppers.

Avery Bradley, Boston Celtics

Blame injuries and Isaiah Thomas here.

Avery Bradley has needed to spend too much time either rehabbing or covering for the sieve he plays alongside, and it's affecting his hounding defense. He hasn't been able to keep up with quicker players in 2016-17, and he's often looked out of place in head coach Brad Stevens' schemes, which ask bigs to ice pick-and-rolls before recovering instead of just switching upon solid contact.

The result? A negative score in ESPN.com's DRPM, as well as a bottom-half finish in each of the four categories used throughout these rankings.

Mike Conley, Memphis Grizzlies

Much as we may wish players had indefatigable motors, they boast limited energy supplies. When they take strides forward on offense and are tasked with excessive responsibilities for limited scoring outfits (see also: Butler, Jimmy), they often need to sacrifice some of their defensive chops, taking possessions off to catch their breath for the next offensive sequence.

Mike Conley may be this year's best example.

Fresh off signing a megadeal to remain with the Memphis Grizzlies, the point guard has exploded on the more glamorous end, averaging 20.0 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from downtown. But that production has come at the expense of his defense, since he hasn't been able to keep up with spot-up shooters as well as in the past. As a result, he received a below-average mark in each portion of the criteria for his work in 2016-17.

Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors

Seldom have players earned such persistent reputations as sterling defenders with middling defensive numbers. Klay Thompson's metrics haven't validated his status as a legitimate stopper for years now, but he still enjoys credit as a leading two-way player.

It's no different this season. But fortunately, the issues are relatively easy to explain.

Thompson rarely records defensive rebounds, which does factor into the equation since ending possessions is necessary before vacating the less glamorous end. He often switches onto the other team's best backcourt member, which depresses some of his individual numbers by virtue of him drawing monumentally more difficult assignments.

And perhaps most importantly: He passes the eye test by thriving as an on-ball stopper, but it's more difficult to notice just how bad he can be away from the primary action. Getting lost chasing players through screens, taking possessions off in the corners and watching the ball rather than his man doesn't work in his favor.