best defensive point guards of all time

But hes just not very strong. Gary Payton 9. Great size made him impossible for most. Big Shot, is one of the finest point guard leaders in the NBA. Widely known as one of the best, if not the best, point guards of all time, Chris Pauls offensive exploits are well-documented. There's no way Stockton & Curry are better than Isiah. For a position that was highly valued at the time, he brought a lot of sparkle, style, scoring, and domination to the court. Lee Rose has described a point guard as a coach on the floor, who can handle and distribute the ball to teammates. Watson, Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson. The only time hell go under a pick is when hes supposed to. In the NBA, point guards generally range from 6ft 1in (1.85m) to 6ft 4in (1.93m) whereas in the WNBA, point guards are usually 5ft 9in (1.75m) or shorter. -- Rob Peterson, One can only imagine how impressive his career totals might have been if not for the HIV virus. If someone goes past him, hell usually just wave goodbye. Over the last decade, the best point guards such as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and others have dominated the position. He averaged 3.9 win shares per season, totaling 75.1 DWS at the end of his 19-year career, good for 11th all-time. Its possible for Nash to be the whole offense and to shoot 50-40-90 from the field on a continuous basis. Interpreted as: best defensive rating with a minimum of 10000 minutes played point guards in NBA history. Whatever else you want to say about Brandon Knight, just dont say he never tries. Think: Dennis Rodman. -- Adande, The only players in NBA history with more games with 20 points and 10 assists are Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. Its amusing that some people say Rose doesnt apply himself on defense. Only two other players besides Moncrief have won the NBAs defensive player of the year award twice. In his 16-year career, Wade averaged 2.961 DWS per year and his 47.38 DWS is good for 55th overall. Some will just hang around waiting for the play to end, but Jack keeps track of his man and also helps if its needed. For each of the following metrics, click on the subhead to be taken to the source website for more details. Not only is Damian Lillard one of the most exciting players in the game today, he makes a strong case as one of the best point guards in NBA history. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Championships He is tremendous at using that muscle to his advantage, too. For a full game, Moncrief was capable of shutting down almost any guard in NBA history. It seems to be down to less than once a game. After all, as his name implies, Billups was known for taking and making huge shots in order to help his team win. The Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 championship run would not have been possible without Kyrie Irving, who is a two-time NBA champion. -- Adams, Combined savvy with underrated strength. Doc Rivers has had a lot of input into how Rondo plays the game. His high rebound rate, while partly indicative of his speed is also a result of positioning, which relates to his IQ. Between his height, lack of real effort on closing out and taking too long to figure out where hes supposed to be (if he ever figures it out all), he becomes the perfect storm for easy pickins. The "Big O" was capable of doing it all. Bob Cousey 8. Triple Double and for good reason: hes fourth all-time in triple-doubles with 107. 11. Despite making it to the Western Conference Finals last season, he is yet to make an appearance in the NBA Finals. This is one of those cases where scouting helps. On the positive side, Rose does a decent job of understanding his role in a complex system. 25. Bledsoe is not a great help defender, in spite of boasting a -4.9 net defensive rating. In balance he was a plus, but his deficiencies cant be ignored. His record and effect on the game, particularly offensively, are legendary, and its easy to see why. Sometimes that works, such as his quick darts under picks. Congratulations, Brian Roberts! Since the first time a professional basketball player dribbled a ball, weve seen some of the greatest point guards in history. Magic had unparalleled vision; he could see players get open and deliver the ball before they even realized they were open. Thats when you see him start to do things like not close out on shooters, merely waving his hand in the air instead. That earned him the nickname Mr. A lot has been made of how an explosive offense is the way to captivate fans. His ability to score and create plays made him an NBA superstar. He also is tougher than most point guards to post up. He was the league's Rookie of the Year in 1966-67 and was named to the All-NBA First Team twice and the Second Team once, and he appeared in seven NBA All-Star Games. While Gregg Popovich and his brilliant system deserve a lot of the credit, Tony is a Finals MVP and is a multiple NBA champion who deserves to be recognised for his role in the legendary Spurs dynasty. Pass-first points of the past have given way to dynamic creators who can score as well as set up teammates. 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), Career stats Although both Kidd and Paul were more accurate shooters, his passing range was broader than any of them. They must also be able to adapt to what the defense is allowing and must control the pace of the game. And, there are also times when he does the bailing out. Refusing to back down because youre afraid of being put on a poster is a good thing, not a bad thing. Those are the questions I was looking to answer. So the problem isnt a lack of speed; its a lack of applying it. Rose is arguably the most athletic point guard in the league, though Russell Westbrook could present a challenge. Mario Chalmers lacks the speed and athleticism of most point guards in the league, and as a result, he usually gets the best seat in the arena to see various point guards blowing by on the way to the rim. Paul is just listed at just 60, and that might be generous. However, who are the all-time top point guards? Players Stats: 17.7 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 8.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Selection. He was the league's third player to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). He benefits tremendously from help defense as previously mentioned, but that doesnt mean he doesnt also provide help defense. Even when picks are set behind his back, he instinctively knows they are there and just steps over them seamlessly. Even when he gets switched up on opposing shooting guards trying to post him up, he does a solid job. Del Negro just worried about the matchup without ever developing a true defensive system or identity with the Clippers. Went from dominating games strictly with his passing to making the fifth-most 3-pointers in NBA history. He was also an outstanding playmaker and a solid scorer with a strong mid-range game. He did it not once, not twice, but three times. Tim Duncan Despite the fact that hes just 35, he has a limited amount of time left. WAM is the foundation, and WAMS is the house. Because Derrick Rose was the NBAs youngest MVP in 2009, its unfortunate that the guy isnt higher on this list. Even though hes been injured a lot, Paul is averaging over two steals a game for his career. Golden State Warriors (2009-present), Honors He does those things; he just doesnt do them very hard. One aspect of Roses year-long absence that gets lost is how much the team suffered defensively without him. Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena denies outrageous Egypt claims, Brooklyn Nets comeback from 28 down to stun Boston Celtics, Alex Iwobi: Nigerian star set for possible exit at English Premier League club Everton, Premier League player caught inhaling laughing gas after a night out, Real Madrid identify Premier League star as 'Plan B' if Bellingham deal fails, Top 15 most handsome football players in the world in 2023. On the other, he so rarely allows his opponent to get past him that he doesnt need to rely on it either. Thanks for signing up. His on-court coaching and leadership is probably the biggest reason the Clippers had the eighth most-efficient defense in the NBA last year. Not everything about a players value can be seen even through advanced stats, or even while hes on the court. He routinely gets blistered in isolation (.93 points per play), fails to close out well on shooters and lags when coming off of screens. You can be the best shooter in the world, but you can't score if you don't get the ball. Players Stats: 12.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 8.7 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 10x All-Star, 6x All-NBA Selection, 1994-1995 Rookie of the Year, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection, Hall of Famer. Thats pretty much what you see with Conley. He lifted the Lakers, and transition basketball, to ethereal levels. Do they get their hands up and use their length? Sometimes, thats just not enough, especially if hes left to guard in isolation, where hes horrid, giving up .92 points per play. Some players get caught out of place, but they know theyre out of place. The Miami HEATs best player in franchise history, Dwyane Wade was an offensive maestro. Rondo consistently applies every bit of effort in him on the defensive end. His lateral quickness is below-average, and his straightaway speed isnt much either. Players Stats: 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG, Honors: 1978-1979 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 9x All-Defense Selection, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, Hall of Famer. He just doesnt have the length to effectively guard against them. This mans achievements are indisputable, and the prospect of him winning a second NBA championship just adds to his greatness. Also, he was disliked for flopping feigning a foul to get the ball back, yet he proved to be a key ingredient to the Spurs championship-winning formula. Exceptions were made for Derrick Rose, Danny Granger, Andrew Bynum and Kevin Love because they have all been All-Star players, and all are still, at least by age, in their prime. In his 20 seasons, Bryant averaged 2.5 DWS and 1.4 steals per year. You never have to question his effort or commitment. Lets say a perimeter defender gets beaten and then his center blocks the shot. However, he tends to play soft at times against the pick-and-roll, tending to rely on his quickness when he could muscle through a pick quicker. It is startling to see the regularity with which opponents blow past Deron Williams. Paul gets caught in a trap that WAM cant entirely avoid because it can only look at what happens, not why it happens. What he offers goes beyond the court. He gets caught thinking, and while he makes the right decision, its a split second too late. His issues related to intelligence, detailed later, compound this problem. The perimeter player gets rewarded statistically for what the center did, even though he actually played shoddy defense. Players Stats: 18.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 7.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 6x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Selection, 1972-1973 Scoring Champion, Hall of Famer. Stephen Curry 4. He has all the tools to be one: great reflexes and speed, and those long arms with big mitts on the end. Players Stats: 23.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Honors: 2x MVP, 6x All-Star, 6x All-NBA Selection, 2015-2016 Scoring Champion. That said, here are the five best defensive NBA point guards of all time, based on their DWS. However, despite Chris Paul and Jason Kidds prominence, Steve Nash became a two-time MVP who had no weaknesses on the offensive end. The American former professional basketball player was born on August 9, 1928, and played point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963 and shortly for the Cincinnati Royals during the 196970 season. He plays longer than he actually is. He doesnt play on the ball physically, utilizing that advantage. He also defends well against post-up plays, yielding just .54 points per play, although thats on an admittedly small 17-play sample size. One of the great conundrums in rating defense is that teammates factor into it. My guess is that it has something to do with that. Seemingly overhauling your system for every opponent is not. Lowry looks around like he just woke up from a nap in a foreign city, and hes trying to figure out where hes supposed to be. His net defensive rating of minus-7.7, combined with his lack of a defensively-solid backup big, is a strong indication of his value as a help defender. Conley also has crazy hops, measuring a 40.5-inch vertical at the combine, and he is one of the quickest point guards in the league. As the primary decision-maker for a team, a point guard's passing ability determines how well a point guard is able to put their decision into play. If Westbrook could channel his energy in a consistent way, he would be an elite defender, but for now, hes just a solid defender whos kind of spazzy. For example, the Spurs absolutely ate him alive in the playoffs with Tony Parker, who averaged 24.5 points for the series. He was the primary defender on 1,127 plays last year in all, surpassed only by Stephen Curry among point guards. Stockton was the. Thats because they can spend all their energy quickly, while starters have to pace themselves. Hes not going to get beaten back, and he doesnt give up in transition. . The same applies to any decent basketball argument (or any other kind, for that matter). New York Knicks (1967-1977), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-1980), Honors: Sounds great, right? When you combine that with his 40-inch vertical, you have a player that gets higher (139 inches) than any point guard in the leagueeven Russell Westbrook. For eight consecutive seasons, Cousy was the leagues top assist producer, and he was also one of the finest scorers in the league. His net defensive rating of 4.2 is an indication of both a lack of his helping and asking for help. This score is to help alleviate that. This is where everything focuses on Westbrook. Their primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for their team, or sometimes for themselves. 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-D selection, co-Rookie of the Year (1994-95), Career stats Do players go under picks when they should go over them? READ ALSO: James Harden's age: stats, contract, family, dating, net worth in 2022 and more. In his single season with the Wizards, the former NBA MVP averaged a triple-double (again), and he was a big reason why Washington made the playoffs after a rough start to the season. Ergo, a negative number is a positive thing, and a positive number is a negative thing. Stats dont make a good argument, they make a good foundation for a good argument. The five-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection has averaged more than 24 points per game since being drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in 2012. Blake Griffin was 21st out of 47 power forwards, and Jordan was 23rd out of 38 centers. One of the most recognisable players in NBA history, Walt Frazier is a deserving candidate for the Basketball Hall of Fame. The best shooter ever not just in terms of accuracy but also in creatively getting looks with but a sliver's opening and with unlimited range. The .72 points per play he gives up in isolation is elite-level defense. In recent years, the sport's shift from a fundamental style of play to a more athletic, scoring-oriented game resulted in the proliferation of so-called combo guards at the point guard position. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. That helps him to dominate games defensively without having to leave the ground. It is a testament to Jarrett Jack that he makes this list. An All-Star in every full season that he played for the Boston Celtics, six-time NBA champion Bob Cousy was an all-around player: he averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. But Gary Payton did as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. But will he listen enough to a player he was just playing against to make that shift? I gave Paul the highest possible score here to offset the total ineptness of the coaching staff, and the frontcourt help he got last season, but he would have a high score regardless. Players like Deron Williams, Kyrie Irving and John Wall blew by him fairly consistently. Let's see who has made it to the top 10 best point guards of all time. Robertson amassed 26,710 points and 9,887 assists during his 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks. The number in the parentheses indicates where they ranked in that category. You can look at why things happen and offset the misleading things. That said, hes 61st all-time in steals with 1392 and he had six seasons in the top-20 in steals. Players have a difficult time getting past him. Watching him rotate was watching perfection. 7-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA selection, 7-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats "The Logo" Jerry West was an NBA Champion, a 14 time All-Star, ten time All-NBA First team selection, four time All-Defensive team selection, NBA scoring champion and an NBA assist leader. It was just his second season when he led the league in scoring with an average of 27.1 points per game, despite some serious injury setbacks. The Top 100 will begin to roll out next week. Generally speaking, the point guard is the player in possession of the ball for the most time during a game and is responsible for maintaining possession of the ball for their team in the face of any pressure from the opponents. He is so athletic and so strong for his size that hes been able to get away without learning lessons he should have. Theres nothing wrong with knowing when you need it. In the past, this was particularly true, as several point guards such as Lenny Wilkens served their teams as player coaches. You need to build something on it. He doesnt cheat in either direction, though. With both, its the combination of their size and speed that makes them so phenomenal. Even players like Derek Fisher will hang him up and then hit him with the step-back. But it seems like Paul is nutmegging and breaking opposing defenders ankles every game. 2. In the last entry, we focused on the five best defensive NBA point guards of all time, but now, we turn to the five best defensive shooting guards in NBA history. He averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. This is also from the various sources we have used. Its hard to notice his effort, though, because of the consistency with which he gets destroyed.

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