| Rank | Team | Defense |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York Knicks | 7.519 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Lakers | 5.682 |
| 3 | Utah Jazz | 4.707 |
| 4 | Los Angeles Clippers | 4.362 |
| 5 | Miami Heat | 4.123 |
| 6 | Philadelphia 76ers | 3.858 |
| 7 | Phoenix Suns | 2.912 |
| 8 | Dallas Mavericks | 2.047 |
| 9 | Denver Nuggets | 1.994 |
| 10 | Detroit Pistons | 1.301 |
| 11 | Boston Celtics | 0.949 |
| 12 | Charlotte Hornets | 0.755 |
| 13 | Chicago Bulls | 0.640 |
| 14 | Atlanta Hawks | 0.495 |
| 15 | Toronto Raptors | 0.342 |
| 16 | Memphis Grizzlies | -0.101 |
| 17 | Cleveland Cavaliers | -0.190 |
| 18 | San Antonio Spurs | -0.630 |
| 19 | Golden State Warriors | -0.642 |
| 20 | Orlando Magic | -1.059 |
| 21 | Portland Trail Blazers | -2.305 |
| 22 | Brooklyn Nets | -2.449 |
| 23 | Milwaukee Bucks | -2.684 |
| 24 | New Orleans Pelicans | -2.685 |
| 25 | Oklahoma City Thunder | -3.395 |
| 26 | Indiana Pacers | -3.702 |
| 27 | Houston Rockets | -4.356 |
| 28 | Minnesota Timberwolves | -5.292 |
| 29 | Sacramento Kings | -5.346 |
| 30 | Washington Wizards | -6.833 |
NBA Adjusted Scoring 2021 – Defense
Adjusted defense-only scores for 2021.