-- J.A. You dont get the sense in watching him that theres a point of pride in it. Perhaps the best word to describe his defense is lollygaggy.. In his book The Winner Within, Pat Riley described Magic as a club DJ. He uses his speed well, as long as hes engaged in the game. 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. He lacks the strength to effectively go over screens consistently, so he has to go under them. Does he make stupid fouls or smart fouls? Thomas was ultra-quick with the ball and, at any moment, could pull up for a deadly jump shot. He literally may be the least athletic guard in the Association. Hes not looking at the ball-handler's chest, which makes him susceptible to fakes, so when his opponent breaks, Rose is momentarily frozen. He doesnt put a lot of effort into chasing his man through screens. Because of his combination of length, speed and jumping ability, Rose has become an excellent team defender against the jump shot. For each of the following metrics, click on the subhead to be taken to the source website for more details. This year, without Rose, the Bulls were 23rd, at 21.0 points per game. Then again, the limited number of plays may be, in part, due to the fact that hes so hard to post up. Teams Players Stats: 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Honors: 7x All-Stars, 6x All-NBA Selection, 7x All-Defensive Team Selection, Hall of Famer. Lillard has been one of the NBA's most dangerous scorers, capable of striking shots from anywhere on the floor. It might not seem like much, but for most players, this covered around 30-40 games' worth of defense. -- Adande, He led the NBA in assists nine straight seasons from 1987 to 1996. Players Stats: 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 1963-1964 MVP, 12x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Selection, 1960-1961 Rookie of the Year, Hall of Famer. Jrue Holiday is making . The second-highest regulation scoring output of the 3-point era was the culmination . 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. Closing out on jumpers is an issue, especially when coming off screens, where he yields a 46.7 shooting percentage from the three-point line. He doesnt use his size exceptionally badly or incredibly well, though. The effect was that the Bulls' starters all looked inferior to their backups. It would be beneficial for Westbrook to even things out and play at a consistent level throughout the game. Once he had the ball on the fastbreak, The Flash was gone. That would make sense, but there are two reasons to choose the unconventional scale. If you are a basketball freak, you might be interested in knowing about NBA and other Best Basketball Leagues in the World. The average score by point guards was 16.1. Anyways, we hope you enjoyed going through the rankings with Magic Johnson securing first place in the Top 10 NBA point guards of all time. 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. Scroll below to see where Stephen Curry ranks among the best point guards in the NBA. OPER is the Opponents Player Efficiency Rating and has been tracked by 82games.com since 2008. The house would collapse. However, the other side of the ball cant be overlooked because as the saying goes: defense wins championships.. Point guards are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time. Players have a difficult time getting past him. Don't get me wrong: Steph is still the league's best shooter. Over the next four weeks, well unveil the rankings for the other four positions. A point guard often controls the offense and they also control who gets the ball and who doesn't, as this type of controlling style of play is necessary to control the tempo of a game. Archibald was the first player in league history to lead the league in both points scored and assists, making him a one-man offense. But, there is one only shooting guard that leapfrogged over all others. Kevin Durant, surprisingly, also bails out his co-star a lot. Eric Bledsoe has a reputation as being both quick and fast, even for a point guard, but he rarely shows it on defense. The greatest point guard in NBA history. What he gives up at the point of attack, he makes up for with his team defense. It looked like teams designed plays counting on him being lazy. Watching specifically for this, I found only three instances in 50 plays where Garnett bailed out Rondo on isolation plays, a rate which is lower than most point guards receiving help. 25. At the point guard position, point guard Damian Lillard is one of the games most talented shooters and scorers. John Stockton 6. Lin is 63 and 200 pounds, which is decent size for a point guard, in the neighborhood of Derrick Rose, Deron Williams and Russell Westbrook. Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats If youre not interested in that, feel free to skip ahead. The "Big O" was capable of doing it all. Kawhi Leonard 11. Williams needs to have a bit of a paradigm shift in the direction of team defense. His 48.8 DWS is 48th all-time and the fourth most by a point guard. Mentally subtract them from the rankings if you feel they shouldn'tbe included. What is the difference between WAM and WAMS? Parker applies himself defensively in bursts, and this appears to be by design. Though he had a relatively short career he only played 13 seasons his 50.4 DWS is 44th overall. 3. Congratulations, Brian Roberts! Wayne Gretzky on the court, Nash could hurt opponents by getting rid of the ball quickly or by holding on to it for so long that the defense finally made a mistake. However, he doesnt appear to have the same strength they do. Some would look at Conleys frontcourt and assumenot entirely incorrectlythat having Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol to back him up pads his stats. He led the NBA in scoring in only his second season, 1967-68, with 27.1 points per game. There are some disadvantages to this style of play. 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. Later in his career, he even improved as an outside shooter, which contributed significantly to his longevity. But what kind of suit was he wearing on the last episode? The more often he is the primary defender, the more likely he is to be responsible for guarding the player who is getting the most plays offensively. Players Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Sometimes that works, such as his quick darts under picks. At 64, hes big enough to guard shooting guards, as well as point guards. When it came to size, the main flaw in his game was that he was very fast and explosive with his handles. Defensive Points per Play Synergy tracks every play of every game of the season and, when possible (as it is not always possible), they assign an. 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. Hes listed at 62 which seems about right, and hes broad-shouldered and strong for his height, but he also seems to have shorter limbs, although I cant find his wingspan listed on Draft Express. It will be interesting to see how well he does with Larry Sanders behind him in Milwaukee. Sometimes, all that the on/off stats tell you is the difference between two players that play the same position. Bledsoe just doesnt bring much energy to the defensive side of the court, which is a shame, because if he did, hed be a ball hawk. Players like Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving consistently cross him over and get past him. It probably tells the accurate story here. Hell get to the corners to challenge threes; hell pick off passes; hell get rebounds; hell get some chase-down blocks. As a rookie, Bill Russell relied on Cousy to lead the league in assists, and he won the MVP Award for his efforts. His stellar pick-and-roll defensive score has more to do with being backed up by Omer Asik than it does his own play. Hell frequent the area at the top of the key, just above the free-throw line, and when a shooter starts to shoot, hell close out quickly to challenge the shot, regardless of where it is coming from. Hes like a runner trying to run a mile by alternating between walking and sprinting 100 yards at a time. Its like hes just punching the clock and collecting his wages. Lillard would likely be at the top of this list if measured as an offensive package as a whole. Chris Paul fell into the same kind of trap last season. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. The problem is he doesnt use that height or strength as well as youd like to see. This is also manifested in his spot-up defense. -- Adams, An early ballhandling wizard, he was a point guard who was a focal point at a time when the game was dominated by big men. Its why Williams gives up .92 points per play in isolation, one of the worst averages among point guards. 76ers vs. He does such a good job of it while the ball is in front of him, theres no reason he couldnt do it after the ball-handler gets past him. When the game is on the line, you like to see players find fifth, but Lin never does. But Gary Payton did as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. He was an All-Star every year of his career and led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances. His net defensive rating of 4.2 is an indication of both a lack of his helping and asking for help. 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. Although Drexler never made an All-Defensive Team in his career, he did average two steals per game for his 15-year career. 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. Scottie Pippen 5. James Harden's age: stats, contract, family, dating, net worth in 2022 and more. Current NBA point guards known for their defensive prowess include Jrue Holiday, Mike Conley Jr., Marcus Smart, and Chris Paul. While his pick-and-roll stats, according to Synergy, are excellent, at .68 points per play, half the time he seems to get bailed out by his frontcourt. He is going to get beaten, without question. Nixon played 6 seasons with the Lakers, making the All-Star Teams in 1982 and 1982 when he posted 17.6 PPG and 17.2 PPG respectively. 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 . 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. 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. Eventually, you need to form an opinion about why not just know what. Overall, he is more of a gives-help defender than a needs-help defender. -- Peterson. At 61 and 171 pounds, Rondo is pretty small by NBA standards, but he plays much tougher than his size. Normally this would be a list of FAQs, but no one has ever asked any questions (since no one has ever seen it). Additionally, the 10-time All-Star and Hall of Famer was an impressive defensive player in his own right. He is not a guy you would single out as an NBA player in a crowded room. Since its neither, he gets an even score. Archibald, who was just 61 tall, was able to consistently sink the ball despite his diminutive stature. They work harder, and they get things eventually, but not quite as well. It only looks at the data. DJ, standing 6'4, started playing point for Boston in the second half of his basketball career and was often tasked with shutting down . Paul is just listed at just 60, and that might be generous. As a point guard, Frazier was one of the greatest in NBA history. His wingspan isnt much better at just 64. For a player who lacks lateral quickness and a player that has been in the league as long as he has, you would think Williams would have learned to do a better job of steering opponents into the help defense. We ranked the best point guards, determining the list with the help of B-R's position splits. MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Championships Per NBA.com/STATS, the Clippers were almost 10 points per 100 possessions better defensively while Lamar Odom was on the court instead of DeAndre Jordan, yet Paul was on the court three times as much with Jordan as Odom. Yet somehow he manages to compensate and do a reasonably fair job of defending, even in isolation. Dallas Mavericks (1994-96, 2008-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-08), New York Knicks (2012-13), Honors Players Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 11.2 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, Honors: 3x MVP, 3x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 10x All-NBA Selection, Hall of Famer. Pun intended. One way of offsetting the problems of defensive rating is looking at on/off stats, meaning how many points does the defense give up while a player is on the court versus when he is off the court? While he does benefit from help defense, its not as often as you might think. Over the last decade, the best point guards such as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and others have dominated the position. -- Doolittle, The great Knicks ball-movement offense started with him. Some would argue that just because he went to Harvard, it doesnt mean he has a high basketball IQ, or that book intelligence isnt the same thing. Watching him rotate was watching perfection. He closed out on jump-shooters half-heartedly, which is bad enough, but when you combine that with the way he played pick-and-roll plays, it was even worse. 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 appears to communicate the wisdom hes accrued to his teammates. Players Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 2x MVP, 8x All-Stars, 7x All-NBA Selection, Hall of Famer. Perhaps next year the Raptors will see better times, and well see less of that kind of behavior, but its a harmful habit to have picked up. Its no surprise that the best point guards in the NBA have more than just the ability to pass the basketball. Then, when players pull up and shoot, he doesnt use his length to close and get a hand in the face of the shooter. Hinrich always had a high basketball IQ. These combo point guards can surprise defenses. Top NBA point guards for 2022-23: Ranking all 30 starters | Sporting News TMGNNS LEBRON Sun, 4:30p DEN CLE 2/23, 4:00p BOS IND 2/23, 4:00p DET ORL 2/23, 4:00p MEM PHI 2/23, 4:30p NOP TOR. If you just look at his measurables, Chris Paul is not impressive. Jack has good but not great effort. This is especially true when closing out on defenders. He does add a lot, but its not frenetic, its just frantic. Jordans inclusion as the best defensive shooting guard isnt surprising considering his relentless attitude to winning. 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 . Even when he gets switched up on opposing shooting guards trying to post him up, he does a solid job. His on-court coaching and leadership is probably the biggest reason the Clippers had the eighth most-efficient defense in the NBA last year. 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. Jumping ability, body control and agility were all considered as well. If you dont want to consider them, then dont. He gets caught thinking, and while he makes the right decision, its a split second too late. Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose are the two most physically gifted point guards of their generation, and, as a result, are constantly going to be compared to one another. Needless to say, you dont see a lot of LeBron-Jamesian-chase-down blocks from Conley. He averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. If you want the perfect picture of what Hinrich brings to the defensive end of the court, think of him tackling the runaway freight train, otherwise known as LeBron James, in the game which stopped the Miami Heats streak. Do players go under picks when they should go over them? Let me remind everyone, young and old, I played against @iamisiahthomas when he was hurt & hobbling on one leg and @iamisiahthomas still scored 25 points in one quarter in the NBA Finals! While hes not going to get a lot of those at his size, regardless of what he does, he could probably do more to try and recover. 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. There are a number of different types of metrics available from various websites. Born on July 15, 1990, Damian is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association. -- Micah Adams, No one was more dynamic, or magical, with the ball in the open court than Earvin Johnson. The Cleveland Cavaliers relied heavily on Kyrie Irving to take and hit huge shots, even when he was partnered with LeBron James. Average players struggled, though.
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