Bradley Beal is averaging the most steals and blocks of his career so far (which, naturally, means he sports the highest Defensive Box Plus/Minus of his life by a mile). Phoenix lineups with Beal only give up 111.3 points per 100 possessions, a well above-average mark. NBA players do not usually see a massive defensive upswing in their 30s; defense is a younger man’s game, reliant upon quick-twitch athleticism and endurance. But Beal’s defense is far from a numbers-driven narrative. Coach Mike Budenholzer has deployed him as the starters’ point-of-attack defender.
