One of the best -- and quickest -- lob passers the game has ever seen. Westbrooks Synergy numbers on the pick-and-roll (.75) and isolation (.7) suggest hes better than he actually is. He was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on February 7, 1974, to a Welsh mother, Jean, and an English father, John. 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. Curry has won three NBA championships and cemented his status as the finest shooter in NBA history since becoming a superstar and two-time MVP. However, he doesnt appear to have the same strength they do. He may be the finest defensive guard ever because of his awareness and abilities on the defensive end. 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. 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. 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. He also knew when he needed to score, as evidenced by his 42-point performance in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals for a Lakers team missing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. DJ, standing 6'4, started playing point for Boston in the second half of his basketball career and was often tasked with shutting down . While most of these stats are adjusted for minutes, the problem surfaces that bench players, playing fewer minutes, can appear to be better than they are. With Doc Rivers in charge, things should turn around shortly, and next year his WAM score will be among the best in the league. MVP (1963-64), 12-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, Rookie of the Year (1960-61), Hall of Fame, Career stats -- Peterson, He's one of only a few players in history who has been deemed too good for the sport's own good. Once he had the ball on the fastbreak, The Flash was gone. 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats Does he make stupid fouls or smart fouls? Therefore, with a few exceptions, players were only considered if they played at least 1,200 minutes last season (which comes out to around 30 percent of possible minutes). During the 1960-1961 season, the then-32-year-old Cousy racked up 6.3 DWS, the most in his career. He tends to use that speed and athleticism well when hes in position, too. That earned him the nickname Mr. The five best defensive NBA shooting guards of all time - Sportsnaut 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. He actually plays his best games against his best opponents. All-Time #NBArank continues with a countdown of the best shooting guards in NBA history. That said, hes 61st all-time in steals with 1392 and he had six seasons in the top-20 in steals. Top 10 Point Guards of All Time - Point Guard Rankings - Observer Desk When defending the isolation play, he gives up a nauseating .94 points per play, a strong indication of that. His Synergy numbers compared to some of his team numbers validate that. The five best defensive point guards of all time | Yardbarker For this reason, a point guard is usually, but not always, more skilled and focused on passing than shooting. Exciting feature: Check out news exactly for YOU find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy! The Glove was a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, making the First Team all nine times. What are you crying about lmfao 03 Mar 2023 00:55:09 Even when picks are set behind his back, he instinctively knows they are there and just steps over them seamlessly. 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. 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. He was a giant of a guard, but he had all the necessary talents, including the ability to dribble and pass. (Most defenders let the opponent by more than half the time. He doesnt put a lot of effort into chasing his man through screens. My guess is that it has something to do with that. I suspect that some of this might be by design, as Holiday bore a leading part of the burden on both ends of the court for his team, so its understandable to a point, but not to the extent I saw. Mr. -- Peterson, Teams When he went up and challenged DeAndre Jordan, and then got blown up, the entire basketball world acted like theyd just seen the greatest basketball play ever. Best Point Guard Defensive Rating 2022 | StatMuse Top 50 Point Guards of All-Time: Magic, The Big O and Curry top the List By Jeff McDaniel | Jul 16, 2020, 5:35pm 1. He also uses his quick hands to steal the dribble, and he does so without taking risks. Holiday has ample size for a point guard, standing a shade over 64 in shoes, and weighing in at 205 pounds. If he didnt retire at 34, its interesting to see where Cousy could have landed all-time as he averaged 3.8 DWS per season. He simply doesnt have the same ability as the elite point guards to get up in the air, and that hinders his ability to defend the jump shot. The greatest point guard in NBA history. 11. New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers, (2011-present), Honors Rondos lack of a need for help defense allows Garnett to help more elsewhere. Some point guards are still given a great deal of leeway in the offense. The effect was that the Bulls' starters all looked inferior to their backups. The next three slides will tell how this particular sausage was made. Sometimes his teammates bailed him out; sometimes the shot just didnt go in. With his limited speed, he is always in full throttle and getting himself around the court, pestering whoever has the ball. Tony Parker is one of the fastest players in the league if youre going by pure speed. His 48.8 DWS is 48th all-time and the fourth most by a point guard. Nash is a top-ten point guard without a question. Six blind men all go to see an elephant which they'venever encountered before. When it came to size, the main flaw in his game was that he was very fast and explosive with his handles. However, when the game is on the line, he makes the right decision. Its why Williams gives up .92 points per play in isolation, one of the worst averages among point guards. The Glove was a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, making the 1st team all nine times. For the purpose of this study, 82games was used because the net defensive rating was also easily available and it made for consistency. He is in charge of getting the ball into the hands of the shooters. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. He averages 1.8 steals per game. Aside from his offensive prowess, Johnson had the ability to hit for power and lead the offense at a high level. Even so, combo guards still require above-average passing skill, but not as much as possessed by "pure" point guards (which is what those in the traditional mold of a point guard are referred to). At 6-foot-1, he's the shortest NBA Finals MVP in league history, a reflection of his unique ability to dominate at the point guard position. Nate Archibald 14. 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. -- Adande, Nash is the only player in history to go 50-40-90 while averaging 10 assists per game. He arguably makes more plays on his feet, both offensively and defensively, than anyone else. Best Defenders in NBA History: Top 50 Best Defensive Players By Clark Boinis | Jul 12, 2021, 4:05pm 1. In fact, hes probably as adept as anyone at this, and his Synergy numbers, .68 points per play against the pick-and-roll, certainly back it up. "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. At the point guard position, point guard Damian Lillard is one of the games most talented shooters and scorers. In fact, its probably the most important thing. But mostly he plays smartly with an occasional brain fart. He is going to get beaten, without question. -- Adams, He could hurt defenses in so many ways: Controlling tempo was one, and he was a hell of a defender, too. Don't get me wrong: Steph is still the league's best shooter. When he gets it going, hes unstoppable. If a player tends to be the helper, he gets a better score. 1. 50 Greatest NBA Point Guards of All Time - Bleacher Report J.A. Thats 20th all-time, with Kidd being the only other guard above him. Dallas Mavericks (1994-96, 2008-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-08), New York Knicks (2012-13), Honors Dont be surprised to see him as a head coach someday. 1987 Lakers are often seen as one of the greatest teams ever. Over the next four weeks, well unveil the rankings for the other four positions. He is entirely too aggressive. Hes able to stay in front of all but the quickest point guards in the league. If someone goes past him, hell usually just wave goodbye. He plays longer than he actually is. Does he rotate on time? Robertson's offensive ability transformed the point guard stereotype from a passer and floor general to a scorer and offensive weapon. Mar 6, 2020; New York, New York, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul (3) reacts during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. When he lets it go, though, it seems calculated. When he does, he gets put off and his effort isnt there anymore. He and Chris Paul are the contenders for smartest defensive point guard in the game today. He was second among point guards in defensive rebounds per 36 minutes. On pick-and-rolls when hes not set, teams have learned to expect this. Another major evaluation factor is the assist-to-turnover ratio, which reflects the decision-making skills of the player. Its amusing that some people say Rose doesnt apply himself on defense. Top 16 Point Guards Of All-Time: Where Steph Curry Ranks? - ClutchPoints 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. 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5APG, .375 FG%, The player Hes fearless, and no matter how large the big setting the pick is, he wont back down. Did they get pushed around easily? He owes his charitable demeanour to a group of elementary school parents. He also has such superior court awareness that most picks dont catch him squarely, and he just glides over them. Thats good for 14th all-time in NBA history and he also had 10 seasons in the top 20 for steals per game. While Rose is slightly faster, Westbrook is slightly bigger. The Greatest Defensive PG's in NBA History! - ranker.com Parker has a hefty 1.05 points per play against defending the jumper, even though he typically gets there and challenges shots. Meanwhile, we are presenting the top 10 by position. He was a master at leading the fastbreak, which led to Celtics titles. His lateral quickness is below-average, and his straightaway speed isnt much either. Getting paired with Tom Thibodeau has made it even better. For a full game, Moncrief was capable of shutting down almost any guard in NBA history. Thats rarely going to be because of a mental error, though. -- 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. 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. Los Angeles Lakers late legend Kobe Bryant is often considered the greatest Laker ever and with good reason: Bryant is first in many of the Lakers statistical categories. The Big O's best statistical season came in 1961-62, when he averaged a triple-double for the entire season, a feat that has never been duplicated. Each fails to realize that they are all right, and that the real answer is in the combination of what they all experienced. He gave up just .87 points defending the spot-up (making him one of the few players to defend the spot-up better than the iso). Considering his challenges with speed, he did reasonably well with the pick-and-roll, again because of his size and strength to fight through picks. He picked up a complicated system almost immediately, and the Bulls were consistently a better defense with Hinrich on the court, in large part because of how well he understood the system. -- Micah Adams, No one was more dynamic, or magical, with the ball in the open court than Earvin Johnson. Mike Conley is exceptionally quick, virtually teleporting himself from one part of the court to another at times. That said, here are the five best defensive NBA point guards of all time, based on their DWS. The official cause of death of Flashdance singer Irene Cara has been determined. However, the other side of the ball cant be overlooked because as the saying goes: defense wins championships.. ALL-TIME #NBARANK, 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11-15 | 16-20 | 21-25, The player Steph's ball-handling abilities make him a lethal ball-handler, as he can shake a defender at any time. 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. Even when he has to go under the pick, which is most of the time, hes so fast that hes able to close the distance before the ball-handler has time to do something with it. The Clippers were 10 points better with Lamar Odom on the court than DeAndre Jordan according to NBA.com/STATS. Even though injuries caught up with him toward the end of his illustrious career, Bryant still battled as a defender when needed. For a position that was highly valued at the time, he brought a lot of sparkle, style, scoring, and domination to the court. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Even when in position, he wont jump to challenge a shot. To say he gets pushed around would be generous. And his athleticism gives him a leg up, which helps him dominate. Refusing to back down because youre afraid of being put on a poster is a good thing, not a bad thing. That said, here are the NBAs five best defensive shooting guards of all-time, based on their DWS. He also shows poor awareness at times, getting surprised by picks as if the setter had just popped up from out of the floor like a Whac-A-Mole. (As an aside, in the slides, you will only see the original metric value, not the weighted number to determine the WAM. He made everything go for those Lakers teams. Averaging 1.5 steals per game, Wade could block transition shots as well with the best of them. He doesnt play on the ball physically, utilizing that advantage. His ability to score and create plays made him an NBA superstar. 18.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 6.1 APG, .490 FG%, The player In nine seasons with the Detroit Pistons, plus two with the Washington Bullets and one with the Boston Celtics, Bing gathered 18,327 points in 901 competitions (20.3 ppg). Only two NBA championships would make him the second-best player in NBA history. He does add a lot, but its not frenetic, its just frantic. Bledsoe runs through his rotations, but he rounds them off or overruns them. Having above-average size (height, muscle) is considered advantageous, although size is secondary to situational awareness, speed, quickness, and ball handling skills. For that reason, subjective analysis was also included. He always picks up on the switch. But it seems like Paul is nutmeggingand breaking opposing defenders ankles every game. Think: Dennis Rodman. When people think of NBA point guards, he set the mold. See the criteria for scouting on the next slide. In the history of the combine, only nine players have recorded better sprint and agility scores, and of those, only three had a better vertical than his 37.5 inches. Even though he normally does, he shouldnt have to and wouldnt if he were playing smarter. Speaking about hard-nosed defense-first converted shooting guards, here is one more name to the list: Dennis Johnson, one of the all-time great Celtics and at the same time one of the most underrated players in the history of the NBA. Kevin Garnett 8. From there, hes playing catch up. Not Paul. How they moved laterally, closed out on shooters, and recovered after getting beaten were also taken into account. 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! The problem is that sometimes players are so inept, they skew the stats of other players. 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. Players Stats: 18.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 10x All-Stars, 8x All-NBA Selection, 2005-2006 Rookie of the Year, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection. Hes pouring out effort every minute hes on the court. Hes just over 60" without shoes but has a wingspan of 67.5. Only four players in the history of the combine are as short or shorter and have at least that kind of reach. Since I always get asked "Where's ___________?" I actually looked for him to do it and couldnt find it. Its interesting that when he plays against elite point guards, or when he plays angrily, he plays much more of a physical game. Ultimately, Johnson's unselfishness earned him the title of greatest point guard of all time. 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. Then there was that kid who just read the assignment on the bus and got straight As. Lowry just seems to be lost on defense much of the time. He needs more of the former and less of the latter. He has the most assists and steals of any player in NBA history and is a master of the pick & roll. It doesnt help to be fast if you dont use it, so Bledsoes score here is lower than you might expect. It is the same with his mental engagement in the game. Thats helped him amass 47.3 DWS, 56th overall. Closing out on shooters, hell go sailing past them. If the team gives up more points while hes on the court, thats bad. Its probably no coincidence that Stephen Currys defense took a giant step forward this season playing alongside Jack, and you might see a similar progression from Kyrie Irving next year. Thats when you see him start to do things like not close out on shooters, merely waving his hand in the air instead. His Synergy numbers tell the story. It also helps him to have the second-most defensive plays per 36 minutes of any of the point guards on this list. The ripple effect of that was that every single Bull had a worse defensive rating with Boozer than when playing with Gibson. Even when he gets switched up on opposing shooting guards trying to post him up, he does a solid job. Went from dominating games strictly with his passing to making the fifth-most 3-pointers in NBA history. SHOCKING one of the best defensive point guards of all time played great defense on a 20 year project old player. Our booby prize winner is pictured above. In his heyday, Parker could score 25 points a night and seldom made poor choices with the ball. Right now, Westbrook's 11.2 assists and 47.5% assist rate leads the league this season. Injuries robbed Rose of the opportunity to become one of the games top five point guards. He seems to get frustrated easily. Some would look at Conleys frontcourt and assumenot entirely incorrectlythat having Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol to back him up pads his stats. He has trouble compensating for his lack of size when challenging jump shots. -- J.A. During the 1960-1961 season, the then-32-year-old Cousy racked up 6.3 DWS, the most in his career. 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 was also an outstanding playmaker and a solid scorer with a strong mid-range game. He normally makes the right play, even if he doesnt always do it well. Although Drexler never made an All-Defensive Team in his career, he did average two steals per game for his 15-year career. He keeps track of his man when holding back in the lane to cut off passing lanes. 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. Below is a list of the 25 Best point guards of the NBA. Eventually, that learning has to become instinct, though. This is also manifested in his spot-up defense. He has no All-Defensive team accolades, because those werent introduced until the 1968-1969 season. Sometimes that happens, but not all that often. 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. He probably can even tell you where the hot dog vendor and mascot are. The true driving force of his partnership with Karl Malone. 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. His net defensive rating of 4.2 is an indication of both a lack of his helping and asking for help. He plays way too far off the ball, supposedly so he wont get beaten, but since he perpetually gets beaten like a drum anyway, why not play closer up so he can at least do a better job of defending the jump shot? Sometimes hell even rush to defend the wrong guy while his man is draining a wide-open three. 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. Additionally, Stockton was a fantastic shooter and defender, almost possessing no weaknesses on the floor at all. Hershey on Twitter: "SHOCKING one of the best defensive point guards of Bledsoes defensive numbers would be far worse if he werent getting helped out by Odom all the time. (I know, but it is a part of defense these days.) 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. -- Adande, He led the NBA in assists nine straight seasons from 1987 to 1996. James is well-known for his incredible skill and ability to score big points, which frequently help his team win crucial games. You're the worst defensive point guard in the NBA!!! 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, The player Being big and strong doesnt mean players automatically got higher scores, though. Gary Payton, widely regarded as one of the best defensive point guards in NBA history, saw a similar decline in his defensive abilities after the age of 35. He arguably powers through picks better than any point guard in the league. But hes slightly built, and that raises some issues, especially when hes caught a fraction of a second behind a play. Defense is one of the more oft-overlooked aspects of basketball because it isnt as pretty as what happens on the offensive end. Bob Cousy Bettman/Getty Images. Paradoxically tough on the court and flashy off of it, Frazier epitomized the '70s-era backcourt style in which roles were less defined. He compensates for his diminutive size by fighting hard and using that aforementioned quickness. Johnson had a knack for scoring against everyone and racked up impressive numbers throughout the course of his career. Thats a difference of almost five points a game given up to point guards. Best Defensive Rating Point Guards In NBA History | StatMuse He gets easily overpowered when bigger point guards post him up. 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. Watching a thing, and watching for a thing, are different. Those are the questions I was looking to answer. 2. During each of his five NBA championship rings, he was one of the finest players in the league. MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Championships Hes just unable able to get high enough to legitimately challenge the shot. Bledsoe spent the majority of his time with Odom, while Chris Paul spent the majority of his time with Jordan, which confuses the on/off ratings. Bob Cousey 8. He could create at an elite level while also scoring off the dribble from the midrange. Great size made him impossible for most. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? Gary Payton. If it tends to fall in the middle, he gets a 20. The second-highest regulation scoring output of the 3-point era was the culmination . Allen Iverson 11. Wilt Chamberlain 14. It doesnt seem that it would be that impressive if found it. This score is to help alleviate that. That being said, Joakim Noah was frequently required to bail him out of trouble. Over 90 percent of the time, the ball-handler gets by him. Watching Parker play defense for a while, particularly zooming in on the pick-and-roll plays, his impressive court awareness stands out. He presses hard as long as the opponent is in front of him, but will frequently give up on the play once the defender is past him. Two-time All-Defensive First Team Four-time All-Star Before having his career derailed by drug use, Micheal Ray Richardson was one of the league's most feared defensive point. Passing skills, ball handling, and court vision are crucial. Isiah Thomas, born on April 30, 1961, and possibly the best player ever under 6-foot-1, combined talent with fierce competitiveness. The seven-time All-Star was one of the best two-way guards of his time, and his performance in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA FInals remains one for the ages. This is also from the various sources we have used. #VCTLOCKIN #Valorant #valorantagents #valorantgaming. The biggest reason appears to be a fundamental one. Several sites track this, each in its slightly unique way, depending on its formula to calculate possessions. For many of these metrics, sample size becomes crucial. 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. Gary Payton was born on July 23, 1968, and is widely regarded as one of the best defensive point guards of all time. Dennis Johnson. On the other hand, hes not tremendously athletic. 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. His low foul rate of 4.5 percent is another indication that hes adept at getting into position quickly.

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