The .72 points per play he gives up in isolation is elite-level defense. Were shooters able to shoot over them? Because he is the one who touches the basketball first on every possession, the NBAs point guard has long been considered its most vital position. Paradoxically tough on the court and flashy off of it, Frazier epitomized the '70s-era backcourt style in which roles were less defined. Other point guards who have been named NBA MVP include Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, and Russell Westbrook, and two-time winners Steve Nash and Stephen Curry. James is well-known for his incredible skill and ability to score big points, which frequently help his team win crucial games. Lowry is neither big nor strong, and he does little with what size he has. Despite the fact that hes just 35, he has a limited amount of time left. He was second among point guards in defensive rebounds per 36 minutes. -- Pelton, If he had played with The Mailman or a defense as stout as the Pistons, he might have made a couple of Finals by now. Three-time MVP (1986-87, 1988-89, 1989-90), three-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Championships You can almost rate Chalmers improving basketball intelligence by how many times per game he gets yelled at by his superstar teammates. Adande, His Game 6 in the 1980 Finals, while jumping center as a 20-year-old rookie, has to be on the Mt. He is so athletic and so strong for his size that hes been able to get away without learning lessons he should have. Then there was that kid who just read the assignment on the bus and got straight As. For example, in the clutch, with the Rockets engaged in a playoff run, the team locked up in a tight battle with the San Antonio Spurs and the score close with less than five minutes remaining, Lin consistently showed the same 90 percent effort he always shows. It seems to be down to less than once a game. The greater problem is how easily he gets disrupted on pick-and-roll defense. With Doc Rivers in charge, things should turn around shortly, and next year his WAM score will be among the best in the league. Chasing down balls, hell reach from behind and disrupt the dribble. He didnt have an eye-popping number, but he was in the top 25 percent of players there. Either way he chases the ball until he catches it. He also defends well against post-up plays, yielding just .54 points per play, although thats on an admittedly small 17-play sample size. Gary Payton. He has the most assists and steals of any player in NBA history and is a master of the pick & roll. In the NBA, Isiah Thomas is an amazing leader and is truly the most competitive force on the court that we have seen from a tiny guy. As previously stated, he gets the help from Green and Leonard to guard the top point guards. -- Doolittle, Over the past season and a half, Curry has played point guard as well as anyone else in NBA history. Trail Blazers playoff failures have been a major blemish on both his game and his career so far. Defensively, Stockton had 3,265 steals the most all time during his 19-year career, helping him get 64.9 DWS. Second, having a five-point range on a 22-point scale prevents any one statistic from overly dominating the others. He is not a guy you would single out as an NBA player in a crowded room. The ripple effect of that was that every single Bull had a worse defensive rating with Boozer than when playing with Gibson. Its safe to say that Kidd is one of the greatest guards to ever play on the basketball floor. All-Time #NBArank: Top 10 point guards ever, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, Kerr touts 5-0 homestand: Dubs 'turned a corner', KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Owner: Snyder, Fields will bring Hawks success, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season, Clips' Powell out at least a week to treat shoulder, LeBron to have tendon injury checked in 3 weeks. He needs more of the former and less of the latter. Of course, sometimes his opponent scored, too. Conley correctly identified the defender who was out of position, showing intelligence, but stupidly ignored that his man had the ball and an accurate jump shot. With his record of successes and pioneering point guard talents, Magic is at the top of the list. Photos: Top 10 NBA Point Guards Of All Time. Magic Johnson 2. It looked like teams designed plays counting on him being lazy. He is suitable at keeping most players out on the perimeter, but against elite point guards he has more problems. He applies every bit of failing athleticism he has all the time. Some will just hang around waiting for the play to end, but Jack keeps track of his man and also helps if its needed. His lateral quickness is exceptional, making it hard for people to get around him, and thats a big part of why he is tied with Derrick Rose for the fewest points per play among qualified point guards. Players Stats: 24.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 5x All-Stars, 4x All-NBA Selection, 2012-2013 Rookie of the Year. However, a good jump shot and the ability to score off a drive to the basket are still valuable skills. Greatest NBA point guards of all-time: Where Russell - Sportsnaut Last season, when Rose was healthy early on, they gave up the thirdmost, 16.3 points. Hes one of the most prolific players in the game. When it came to size, the main flaw in his game was that he was very fast and explosive with his handles. The Best NBA Point Guards Of All Time - The Delite Many remember Ginobili for his offense, but he was also a capable defender. Its because Griffin and Jordan were on the bench next to him. Mike Conley is exceptionally quick, virtually teleporting himself from one part of the court to another at times. Pass-first points of the past have given way to dynamic creators who can score as well as set up teammates. Additionally, the 10-time All-Star and Hall of Famer was an impressive defensive player in his own right. 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. Furthermore, he is a legend for the Phoenix Suns and one of the teams finest players. 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. His stellar pick-and-roll defensive score has more to do with being backed up by Omer Asik than it does his own play. Point guard from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America 3 Jason Kidd Point guard from California, United States of America 4 Walt Frazier Point guard from Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America 5 Dennis Johnson 6 Fat Lever Point guard and Shooting guard from Pine Bluff, Arkansas load more Best Defenders in NBA History: Top 50 Best Defensive Players By Clark Boinis | Jul 12, 2021, 4:05pm 1. Some contend its not his fault that hes short, but its not Jarrett Jacks fault that hes slow either. Ranked: Top 25 male fitness influencers to follow in 2023, Howe dodges row over Newcastle's Saudi ownership, Former Chelsea boss spotted in Munich with his new lover, Bam Adebayo makes bold claim about the last two DPOY awards, Gary Neville ignites debate after stating ideal price for holding midfielder, Huge Ballon dOr scandal as player claims his votes were changed to Lionel Messi. The only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, Payton was a defensive nightmare and he never had a DWS lower than 1.2 during his 17-year career. (Most defenders let the opponent by more than half the time. This could be something that Monty Williams, a coach with outstanding player development skills, can work on in New Orleans now that Holiday is with the Pelicans. Hes not as horrible as some people would make it sound. Sometimes even when hes being smart, he gets a little dumb. When he lets it go, though, it seems calculated. In the late 1980s, he was the face of the Bad Boys Pistons, who defeated Jordan's Bulls three times in a row in the playoffs. They tried just as hard as the valedictorian, but all they got were Bs. Hes like a runner trying to run a mile by alternating between walking and sprinting 100 yards at a time. He uses quickness to capably guard the perimeter, but thats in large part because hes not always defending the elite point guards. 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. That said, here are the NBAs five best defensive shooting guards of all-time, based on their DWS. He tends to use that speed and athleticism well when hes in position, too. Walt Frazier 10. Hes always looking where hes supposed to go, and moving in that direction, but he just takes his time getting there. NBA: Ranking top 10 shooting guards ever - ESPN.com His offensive style has been revamped to incorporate a powerful mid-range jumper along with some range as well. He is in charge of getting the ball into the hands of the shooters. He applies his energy smartly. What is the difference between WAM and WAMS? To recap, Jason Kidd was the best defensive point guard, Michael Jordan skied above other shooting guards, John Havlicek paced all small forwards - for the time being - and the "Mailman . He keeps track of his man when holding back in the lane to cut off passing lanes. Coming off one of the best offensive seasons in NBA history, Curry takes the top spot on our list of the league's best point guards, followed closely by 22-year-old wunderkind Luka Doncic, who may . But will he listen enough to a player he was just playing against to make that shift? Nash was never known as a strong defender, but he was capable of bothering opposing point guards to some extent. FOXSports.com - Best all-time point guards at the Wayback Machine (archived July 12, 2005), accessed 2008-02-09 This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 17:58 . He works well within a system where there are no real defensive weaknesses. Its like hes chosen the worst of both worlds. One of the best -- and quickest -- lob passers the game has ever seen. He never leaves his man to help a defender that doesnt need help, but he always seems to be there when help is needed. His low foul rate of 4.5 percent is another indication that hes adept at getting into position quickly. Best Defensive Rating Point Guards In NBA History | StatMuse Jordan also had two seasons (86-87 and 87-88) where he was in the top-20 in blocks per game and seven seasons in the top-20 in defensive rating. Broadly speaking, over 7,000 pieces of data on 226 players, in 16 different categories, were compiled into a database. He fights through picks, going over them when he can and under them when he cant. While he does benefit from help defense, its not as often as you might think. He also has such superior court awareness that most picks dont catch him squarely, and he just glides over them. When the team is winning or the game is close, he puts in real effort, but if they are down, he shows noticeably less energy. He spent his entire NBA career (19842003) as a point guard for the Utah Jazz, and the team made the playoffs in each of his 19 seasons. Rondos lack of a need for help defense allows Garnett to help more elsewhere. OPER is the Opponents Player Efficiency Rating and has been tracked by 82games.com since 2008. Whenever anyone imagines a point guard, chances are theyre thinking of Utah Jazz legend John Stockton. 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. 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. The game has been graced by several incredible players whose names live on even after they retire. Brandon Knight has exceptional speed and quickness. When Gibson played with the starters, the Bulls gave up 10 fewer points per 100 possessions. Michael Cooper was a great defensive guard, evident when he won the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award in 1987, and James Worthy is a top-ten Small Forward of all-time and was one of the . The reason teams run so much pick-and-roll is that it works. The next three slides will tell how this particular sausage was made. He plays longer than he actually is. The bulk of his thefts came by stealing the dribble, not by shooting the passing lanes. Paul, who was born on May 6, 1985, has long been regarded as one of the game's greatest point guards, a fact reinforced by his selection to the 75th Anniversary Team. After all, as his name implies, Billups was known for taking and making huge shots in order to help his team win. Gary Payton 9. Chalmers is 62 and 190 pounds, which is about average size for a point guard. Those are the questions I was looking to answer. If youre a fan of the TV show Suits, you might agree that Harvey Specter dresses well. When defending the isolation play, he gives up a nauseating .94 points per play, a strong indication of that. Dont be surprised to see him as a head coach someday. His shot-making and defense made him a top-tier point guard throughout his career. If a player tends to be the helper, he gets a better score. The five best defensive point guards of all time Jarrod Castillo Dec 16, 2019; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) directs his team during a play against the. He tends to rely on his speed to compensate for his lack of mass. Rondo likes to do this chest bump thing where he meets the opponent past the half-court line and just bumps his chest into him repeatedly. He lifted the Lakers, and transition basketball, to ethereal levels. The NBA is a point guard's paradise these days, so let's start All-Time #NBArank with our pantheon points. 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. It would be beneficial for Westbrook to even things out and play at a consistent level throughout the game. Chris Paul is widely considered to be one of the best point guards of the 2010s. The relative value between players was not affected; they were merely weighted so that the metrics could be combined without any one metric dominating the others. Therefore, a lower score is superior. Here are the answers to some questions readers are likely to have. You're the worst defensive point guard in the NBA!!! Michael Jordan 10. His Synergy numbers compared to some of his team numbers validate that. Still, Nash's greatest historical legacy will be paving the way for Stephen Curry and a new generation of point guards in a league that embraced point guards making plays with a wide-open court. Chauncey Billups, or Mr. To say he gets pushed around would be generous. Take, for example, Carlos Boozer in 2012. How much a player understands his role in the defense is measured here. Other stats were determined by using my trusty sidekick, MS Excel, loaded up with standard stats available on most websites. Jumping ability, body control and agility were all considered as well. Closing out on shooters, hell go sailing past them. In case you missed it, Jason Kidd was tops on the list with 75.1 DWS, good for 11th all-time. Many times, the point guard is referred to by announcers, as a "coach on the floor" or a "floor general". Having above-average size (height, muscle) is considered advantageous, although size is secondary to situational awareness, speed, quickness, and ball handling skills. Others with less physical prowess can dominate defensively simply because they pour everything into it. 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, .520 FG%, The player Nevertheless, its just as important. 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. Rondo consistently applies every bit of effort in him on the defensive end. The point guard was always capable of scoring the ball at the . He could be better than he is, but its hard to blame only him. Moncrief is well known for his defensive prowess. If youre not interested in that, feel free to skip ahead. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. One aspect of Roses year-long absence that gets lost is how much the team suffered defensively without him. At the point guard position, point guard Damian Lillard is one of the games most talented shooters and scorers. Jerry West, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, combines a lethal jump shot, tenacious defence, obsessive perfectionism, unwavering confidence, and an unwavering will to win. Scoring point guards typically look to score first, thus preventing teammates from getting the ball. Thomas was ultra-quick with the ball and, at any moment, could pull up for a deadly jump shot. If you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along, #NBArank is the Twitter hashtag to use. 50 Greatest NBA Point Guards of All Time - Bleacher Report Bucks: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Rockets vs. Spurs: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Hawks vs. Heat: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Pistons vs. Cavaliers: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Raptors vs. Wizards: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Russell Westbrook still wants Sixth Man of Year award from time with Lakers, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. If the team gives up more points while hes on the court, thats bad. Just telling your players to play harder and close out on threes isnt a real system. Thats when you see him start to do things like not close out on shooters, merely waving his hand in the air instead. He is a natural playmaker with excellent point guard abilities, creating the ideal point guard prototype. It also helps him to have the second-most defensive plays per 36 minutes of any of the point guards on this list. Whatever it was, Holiday was just not bringing effort on the defensive end last year. He might physically play below the rim, but few can touch how he plays above the neck. He could play any spot on the court as well. His huge hands allowed him to pass as effectively with one hand as most could with two. After the opponent scores, it is typically the point guard who brings the ball down the court to begin an offensive play. Widely known as one of the best, if not the best, point guards of all time, Chris Pauls offensive exploits are well-documented. But his lack of any vertical leap kills him on the jump shot. Parker applies himself defensively in bursts, and this appears to be by design. Think: Dennis Rodman. When he does do it, he does it half-heartedly. Mentally subtract them from the rankings if you feel they shouldn'tbe included. Watching him rotate was watching perfection. Nash is a top-ten point guard without a question. Dennis Johnson. But it seems like Paul is nutmeggingand breaking opposing defenders ankles every game. Allen Iverson 11. When the game is on the line, you like to see players find fifth, but Lin never does. He probably can even tell you where the hot dog vendor and mascot are. For all the hammering Im doing on Chalmers, it remains true that the Heat are better with him on the court than off of it, but its questionable if thats because hes on it. 8. Each fails to realize that they are all right, and that the real answer is in the combination of what they all experienced. -- Peterson, Thomas' willingness to share the spotlight helped make the Bad Boy Pistons incredible, and he had a consistent ability to step up his game in the postseason during Detroit's title runs (and near miss in 1988). But one in 20 is egregiously bad.). Some of this is hard to know whether to ascribe to Bledsoe or to his former coach, Vinny Del Negro, who hones his X's and O's skills by playing tic-tac-toe online. Having said that, when hes playing off the ball, he knows where hes supposed to be, and hes usually there. While he was doing that, Billups, who actually had the ball the whole time, just stepped back behind the three-point line and drained the three. While hes able to keep himself from getting pushed around when point guards, or even shooting guards, try and post up on him, hes not able to dig through picks the way the other three are. He actually plays his best games against his best opponents. But he jogs when he should run, is lackadaisical closing out shooters and goes through the motions when running through his rotations. Players like Deron Williams, Kyrie Irving and John Wall blew by him fairly consistently. -- Pelton, Today's children will ask, "Who was the Steph Curry before Steph Curry?" Ranking 50 Greatest Point Guards in NBA History Honors: 6x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Selection, 2011-2012 Rookie of the Year, Players Stats: 22.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG. He tends to be beaten off the dribble more often than he should be, considering his physical advantages, but he also uses his physical ability to recover when he is beaten. Conley is inconsistent in how he applies effort on the court. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 13. If hes on the court, hes moving at full speed. Kawhi Leonard 11. A point guard will often use their ability to score in order to augment their effectiveness as a decision-maker and playmaker. Simply put, defensive win shares (DWS) are defined by how many wins a player produces based on his defensive ability. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, They said it! On top of that, when Parkers man slips past him, he has one of the best defenders in the history of the universe, Tim Duncan, to help him out. When he was at his peak, Rose was one of the greatest point guards of all time, and he merits a spot in the top 15. He wont even try and fight over a pick if he gets caught in one, but just quits on the play. Defense is one of the more oft-overlooked aspects of basketball because it isnt as pretty as what happens on the offensive end. He defends pick-and-rolls exceptionally well because hes able to shake off picks without much trouble, even pushing around stronger players like Carlos Boozer or Robin Lopez at times. He compensates for his diminutive size by fighting hard and using that aforementioned quickness. Later in his career, he even improved as an outside shooter, which contributed significantly to his longevity. How they moved laterally, closed out on shooters, and recovered after getting beaten were also taken into account. It is a testament to Jarrett Jack that he makes this list. On the other hand, no matter how solid the foundation is, you cant move into it. Jack is one of those players that a lot of people dont know what he brings to a team in the locker room. Simply put, defensive win shares (DWS) are defined by how many wins a player produces based on his defensive ability. Adande, Brad Doolittle, Tom Haberstroh and Kevin Pelton are NBA writers for ESPN.com. -- Adams, The fashion forerunner to Russell Westbrook. Isiah Thomas, born on April 30, 1961, and possibly the best player ever under 6-foot-1, combined talent with fierce competitiveness. He had the second-best defensive rating in the NBA. "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. Does he rotate on time? Exciting feature: Check out news exactly for YOU find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy! Thats a difference of almost five points a game given up to point guards. That earned him the nickname Mr. Does he know when to help and not to help? With the increased emphasis on the deep three, point guards account for a large portion of the league's top scorers. He and Chris Paul are the contenders for smartest defensive point guard in the game today. Even when picks are set behind his back, he instinctively knows they are there and just steps over them seamlessly. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. Despite making it to the Western Conference Finals last season, he is yet to make an appearance in the NBA Finals. Players Stats: 15.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Honors: 2003-2004 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Selection, 2x All-Defensive Team Selection. Instead of passing after bringing up the ball they quickly drive to the basket or step back for an outside shot. The 25 greatest point guards of all time | Yardbarker Starter from the VCT lockin. Stats dont tell the whole story and our eyes often only confirm what we already know. Big O is widely regarded as one of the best offensive point guards of all time. Players Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG. He gambles too much, and that often gets him caught out of the play. He was also an outstanding playmaker and a solid scorer with a strong mid-range game. The five best defensive NBA shooting guards of all time One of the greatest point guards ever, Jason Kidd could make the flashy pass or the simple play with the best of them while also loving to hightail it in transition to wear opponents down in. As a point guard, Tim Hardaway was one of the most popular and respected players in the NBA during his time with the Miami Heat. What he gives up at the point of attack, he makes up for with his team defense. The perimeter player gets rewarded statistically for what the center did, even though he actually played shoddy defense. Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard, two of the better perimeter defenders in the league, often take up the responsibility for guarding the best point guards. There arent a lot of players that could lock down Michael Jordan, the greatest player of all time. Interpreted as: best defensive rating with a minimum of 10000 minutes played point guards in NBA history. Born on July 15, 1990, Damian is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. Even though injuries caught up with him toward the end of his illustrious career, Bryant still battled as a defender when needed. Jed Jacobsohn/AP Images. It is one thing to be able to recognize the player that is in a tactically advantageous position, but it is another thing entirely to be able to deliver the ball to that player. Rob Peterson is an NBA editor for ESPN.com. Thats where we naturally focus our attention, so when it comes to things like help defense, we only notice if were looking for it, or if its extreme. Who are the best defensive point guards in the NBA, and how are they determined? Hopefully he can break it. Whether this is a result of his reputation being undeserved or him not putting forth the effort isnt hard to determine. -- Peterson. The number in the parentheses indicates where they ranked in that category. Defensively, Stockton had 3,265 steals the most all time during his 19-year career, helping him get 64.9 DWS.
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best defensive point guards of all time