NBA 2019-20: 5 bold predictions for Defensive Player of the Year award

Defense is what wins titles in the long run.

The 2019-20 NBA regular season in underway and so far, it has lived up to the hype that was attached to it in the past couple of months. The Clippers are clear favorites to clinch the championship this year around and they sure look equipped to do so.

The Warriors have a tall task ahead of them, which includes regrouping after Kevin Durant's departure and regaining the throne with limited talent on the roster. Much of this season is expected to be a roller-coaster ride, considering the player movements that were made in the offseason. It becomes hard to put a finger on a single thread without the others slipping out. However, here we make an effort to ascertain some moderately-outrageous picks for one of the most coveted NBA award.

With a plethora of thrilling encounters lined up for NBA fans across the world, it makes perfect sense to make some bold predictions based on past knowledge and future projections.

On the note, let's skim through a bunch of unique defensive talents that just might surprise us with a DPOY award at the end of this season.

#1 Patrick Beverley

Ever since the Clippers rose to recognition last year after making noticeable waves against Golden State Warriors in the playoffs, Patrick Beverley's efforts have been greatly applauded. Carrying an apt nickname of "Mr. 94 Feet", Pat Bev never backs down from a defensive challenge, irrespective of the size mismatch or skill deficit.

Standing at just 6-foot-1, he houses the energy and confidence to guard megastars like Kevin Durant & LeBron James, whilst somehow also managing to be the hype man for the entire squad throughout the game.

To some, picking 31-year-old Beverley for the DPOY award would seem a bit too far-fetched. However, it would be worth mentioning that he got an NBA All-Defensive First team nod just a season ago. Therefore, given the ideal circumstances that have brewed lately in the Clippers franchise it makes it that much more easier for Patrick Beverley to be himself and more.