best defensive point guards of all time best defensive point guards of all time

Triple Double was so far ahead of his time in terms of size, speed, strength and stats. But, there is one only shooting guard that leapfrogged over all others. Although both Kidd and Paul were more accurate shooters, his passing range was broader than any of them. Despite the fact that hes just 35, he has a limited amount of time left. He was an All-Star every year of his career and led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances. They were combined and adjusted to cover a range roughly between 18 and 22. In order to answer that, we introduce Weighted Averaged Metrics (WAM) and WAM with Scouting (WAMS), a pair of advanced defensive metrics which combine other stats and metrics, weight them so that each represents an equal relative value, and then use them all to derive a final score. Gary Payton was born on July 23, 1968, and is widely regarded as one of the best defensive point guards of all time. A point guard will often use their ability to score in order to augment their effectiveness as a decision-maker and playmaker. Above all, the point guard must understand and accept their coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football. James is well-known for his incredible skill and ability to score big points, which frequently help his team win crucial games. Even players like Derek Fisher will hang him up and then hit him with the step-back. Blake Griffin was 21st out of 47 power forwards, and Jordan was 23rd out of 38 centers. Whats remarkable is how quickly he gets to the shooter and gets a hand in his face, even if its all the way to the corner three and the shooter is setting when Rose takes off. 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. He applies himself and stays committed, but when hes beaten on a play, hell relax waiting for his bigs to pick up the slack. -- Adams, He could hurt defenses in so many ways: Controlling tempo was one, and he was a hell of a defender, too. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position. Lets say a perimeter defender gets beaten and then his center blocks the shot. Similarly, while each of the advanced and/or traditional metrics has value, each also misses something. A defensive point guard will also pressure opponents in passing lanes in an attempt to generate steals and scoring opportunities for their own team. He just doesnt have the length to effectively guard against them. On the flip side, Westbrook's 4.13 turnovers per game average is the highest all-time, with Johnson (3. . If you are a basketball freak, you might be interested in knowing about NBA and other Best Basketball Leagues in the World. Notable point guards of the WNBA include five-time champion Sue Bird, her Olympic teammate Diana Taurasi (the only two basketball players of either gender to earn five Olympic gold medals for basketball[1]) and Courtney Vandersloot. Even when picks are set behind his back, he instinctively knows they are there and just steps over them seamlessly. Hopefully he can break it. Some point guards are still given a great deal of leeway in the offense. He might physically play below the rim, but few can touch how he plays above the neck. We ranked the best point guards, determining the list with the help of B-R's position splits. #VCTLOCKIN #Valorant #valorantagents #valorantgaming. There arent a lot of players that could lock down Michael Jordan, the greatest player of all time. Its like hes just punching the clock and collecting his wages. He uses his length well when trying to close out on jumpers, utilizing all of his elevation and his full length. His stellar pick-and-roll defensive score has more to do with being backed up by Omer Asik than it does his own play. All the other tools and effort can be rendered useless by a little stupidity. Jed Jacobsohn/AP Images. With his athleticism and speed, there is no way that Rose should get beaten off the dribble as often as he does. This is also manifested in his spot-up defense. 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. New York Knicks (1967-1977), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-1980), Honors: The most pure and one of the best point guards and playmakers in NBA History is John Stockton. Other stats were determined by using my trusty sidekick, MS Excel, loaded up with standard stats available on most websites. Do the likes of Magic Johnson and Stephen Curry rise to the top of the point guard rankings, or is it possible for someone with undeniable natural skill like Penny Hardaway to crack the elite group? Chalmers is 62 and 190 pounds, which is about average size for a point guard. When people think of NBA point guards, he set the mold. Went from dominating games strictly with his passing to making the fifth-most 3-pointers in NBA history. Dennis Rodman 4. With his record of successes and pioneering point guard talents, Magic is at the top of the list. Because they each feel a different thing, an argument arises as to who is right. The Miami HEATs best player in franchise history, Dwyane Wade was an offensive maestro. New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers, (2011-present), Honors The undisputed first great point guard, Cousy remains the only guard in NBA history to be named First-Team All-NBA in 10 straight seasons. Since its neither, he gets an even score. Were shooters able to shoot over them? Players Stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG. However, when the game is on the line, he makes the right decision. I doubt its much beyond his height. The point guard is positioned on the perimeter of the play, so as to have the best view of the action. Lin plays with consistent effort on defense, but hes stuck in fourth gear. 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, The player But will he listen enough to a player he was just playing against to make that shift? It is startling to see the regularity with which opponents blow past Deron Williams. The "Big O" was capable of doing it all. When hes coming off screens, hes especially horrible, giving up 1.15 points per play. 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. He was the league's third player to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). Thats pretty much what you see with Conley. There arent many point guards in the league who can match Roses pure size and strength. Allen Iverson 11. Gary Payton. That being said, Joakim Noah was frequently required to bail him out of trouble. 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. That said, hes 61st all-time in steals with 1392 and he had six seasons in the top-20 in steals. Although Stockton accumulated numerous All-NBA nods, he only made the All-Defensive Second Team five times. Thats 20th all-time, with Kidd being the only other guard above him. The Clippers were 10 points better with Lamar Odom on the court than DeAndre Jordan according to NBA.com/STATS. 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. One of the great conundrums in rating defense is that teammates factor into it. He affected the paradigm for overseas guards trying to break into the NBA. This is not so common anymore, as most coaches are now solely specialized in coaching and are non-players. But Gary Payton did as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. Thats a difference of almost five points a game given up to point guards. Thanks for signing up. It is akin to the blind men and the elephant in the Indian fable adapted to a poem by John Godfrey Saxe. If Williams had more pride in his defense, he would actually ask for, and depend on, help more than he does. The facts need to come first. He finished the game with the most career postseason points and the highest average in a playoff series. It is easy to have the numbers skewed by a smaller sample size. Although Wilkens is best known as a head coach, he was once an outstanding athlete. Stockton was a member of two gold medal teams and twice reached the NBA finals during his remarkable career. They are available for those who want to know where they fit, and it doesn'thurt anyone to include them. Pun intended. To absolutely nobodys surprise, Michael Jordan is the best defensive shooting guard in NBA history. These combo point guards can surprise defenses. 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. He also uses that length to be one of the best shot-blocking point guards in the league. Jack is one of those players that a lot of people dont know what he brings to a team in the locker room. MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Championships -- Pelton, So precise with his passes and timely with his shots. Mike Conley is exceptionally quick, virtually teleporting himself from one part of the court to another at times. 21.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.9 APG, .441 3P%, We counted down the greatest players in NBA history. He does a poor job of defending the spot-up, surrendering 1.07 points per play. Because Derrick Rose was the NBAs youngest MVP in 2009, its unfortunate that the guy isnt higher on this list. A lot has been made of how an explosive offense is the way to captivate fans. He probably can even tell you where the hot dog vendor and mascot are. He weighs in at only 175 pounds. Top 16 Point Guards Of All-Time: Where Steph Curry Ranks? - ClutchPoints Williams tends to play defense, but he only seems to do the minimum. Hes a learning player, and his extensive time sitting last year may have helped his grasp of defense as well as offense. As previously discussed, it is true that purely objective analysis does not, and cannot, tell the whole story, especially when it comes to something as dynamic as defense. Photos: Top 10 NBA Point Guards Of All Time. Its because Griffin and Jordan were on the bench next to him. Rose is arguably the most athletic point guard in the league, though Russell Westbrook could present a challenge. Greatest NBA point guards of all-time: Where Russell - Sportsnaut He has a real grasp of the game, and he helps convey that to his teammates. NBA All-Time Player Rankings: Top 10 Point Guards In fact, no drafted guard has ever measured a worse sprint, vertical and agility test. Stephen Curry 4. He doesnt put a lot of effort into chasing his man through screens. NBA History: Ranking the Greatest Guards Ever - Bleacher Report As a result, opponents shot 42.9 percent from deep against him in the pick-and-roll. In case you missed it, Jason Kidd was tops on our point guard list with 75.1 defensive win shares, good for 11th all-time. Hes still learning to apply that tremendous athleticism on the defensive end of the court, though. In 2021, Paul became the first player in NBA history to score over 20,000 points and dish out over 10,000 assists before LeBron James followed suit later in 2022. He doesnt use the shortest angles when running under picks, but he takes path of least resistance instead. Eric Bledsoe has a reputation as being both quick and fast, even for a point guard, but he rarely shows it on defense. 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. Hes not as horrible as some people would make it sound. He has two ways of guarding the isopray for help or flop. ESPN ranked the Top 10 PGs of all time & they have @iamisiahthomas ranked 5th. Do they get their hands up and use their length? Rondos lack of a need for help defense allows Garnett to help more elsewhere. Jeremy Lin is not one of the faster point guards in the NBA, and hes not particularly quick either. He does a capable job of knowing when to help and when to stay. -- Adande, Nash is the only player in history to go 50-40-90 while averaging 10 assists per game. For his career, Jordan averaged 2.3 steals (third all-time) and 4.2 DWS per year. NBA top 15 point guard rankings for 2021-22: Stephen Curry sits at No 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, .428 3P%, The player He was second among point guards in defensive rebounds per 36 minutes. 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. For a full game, Moncrief was capable of shutting down almost any guard in NBA history. 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. 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. See the criteria for scouting on the next slide. While Rose was fairly criticized for not playing hard defensively prior to Thibodeau, that criticism is no longer accurate. That has more to do with the second-string frontcourt, led by Lamar Odom, backing him up than it does his team defense. There is no doubt that Stephen Curry inherited his incredible shooting ability from his father, Dell, who was a successful NBA marksman himself, but the younger Curry's game is more diverse than Dell's. Over the last decade, the best point guards such as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and others have dominated the position. We compiled a list of the top 15 point guards of all time using wholly subjective metrics from the list of active players and a few other legends. 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. The other thing thats surprising about Rondo with his size is how well he fights over picks. Players like Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving consistently cross him over and get past him. He didnt have an eye-popping number, but he was in the top 25 percent of players there. 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. Thats when you see him start to do things like not close out on shooters, merely waving his hand in the air instead. The five best defensive NBA shooting guards of all time - Sportsnaut Gary Payton is one of the best ever. Its why Williams gives up .92 points per play in isolation, one of the worst averages among point guards. Of course having book smarts doesnt preclude you from knowing what youre doing on the court either. Jacks presence on a team is one of those things. He gets a ton of help from his teammates and isnt asked to give a lot back. His on-court coaching and leadership is probably the biggest reason the Clippers had the eighth most-efficient defense in the NBA last year. Defensive Rating (DRtg) is the average number of points per 100 possessions a players team surrenders while he is on the court. -- Tom Haberstroh, NBA writer, No guard in NBA history pulled down more rebounds than Kidd, who finished with more career rebounds than Willis Reed and Alonzo Mourning, among others. Bing, despite having one of his eyes injured, was an attacking force to be reckoned with. 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. Emailed daily. Players Stats: 19.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 9.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 1989-1990 Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Selection, Hall of Famer. He bulls through picks well and is not afraid to go over them. This year, without Rose, the Bulls were 23rd, at 21.0 points per game. Point guards are expected to be vocal floor leaders. For example, the Spurs absolutely ate him alive in the playoffs with Tony Parker, who averaged 24.5 points for the series. He always seems to know exactly where everyone is. Im cheating a little here. He does all those little things that dont show up in box scores. Williams needs to do a better job of forcing opponents out of the middle and into the strong side of his defense, but he tends to fall straight back instead, letting them into the lane, which allows for easy scores. 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. 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 can be stagnant when his man doesnt have the ball. 1987 Lakers are often seen as one of the greatest teams ever. Sometimes that happens, but not all that often. Even though he normally does, he shouldnt have to and wouldnt if he were playing smarter. Whatever else you want to say about Brandon Knight, just dont say he never tries. He tends to use that speed and athleticism well when hes in position, too. Their primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for their team, or sometimes for themselves. In the MVP vote for the 1967-1968 season, he finished second behind the unstoppable Wilt Chamberlain. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Who's the best offensive point guard of all time? That makes him eligible for inclusion on this list of best point guards. He has been improving in that regard, but its taken a while, and there are still some maddening things. Jordans inclusion as the best defensive shooting guard isnt surprising considering his relentless attitude to winning. Over the next four weeks, well unveil the rankings for the other four positions. 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. When he applies it, he does so effectively, especially in isolation and the pick-and-roll. -- Haberstroh, Teams Other defenders deficiencies are hidden by being put on weaker offensive players. Oscar Robertson was one of the NBA's greatest players in history. You dont get the sense in watching him that theres a point of pride in it. If he tends to be the helped, he gets a worse score. Does he pick up his man when switched? It might not seem like much, but for most players, this covered around 30-40 games' worth of defense. By NBA standards, he jumps like an elephant and runs like a turtle (and not one of those fast turtles youve heard tell of eithera slow turtle). The five best defensive centers of all time - Sportsnaut While he is frequently noted for his ability to see the court and make the right play on offense, he doesnt get the same recognition on the defensive end. Adande, Brad Doolittle, Tom Haberstroh and Kevin Pelton are NBA writers for ESPN.com. Just because someone gets past him doesnt mean theyre going to score. 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. 50 Greatest NBA Point Guards of All Time - Bleacher Report For Rose, his biggest issues on both sides of the ball have to do with fundamentals and understanding. Best Defensive Rating Point Guards In NBA History | StatMuse From there, hes playing catch up. 2. 24. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 13. Perhaps the best word to describe his defense is lollygaggy.. -- Peterson, Teams 5-on-5: Will Curry pass Magic as best PG ever? Cousy, in many respects, was the Celtics spirit at the moment. Ben Wallace 12. He is so athletic and so strong for his size that hes been able to get away without learning lessons he should have. It doesnt help to be fast if you dont use it, so Bledsoes score here is lower than you might expect. During each of his five NBA championship rings, he was one of the finest players in the league. The Glove is hands down the best defender a the point guard position. When the game is on the line, you like to see players find fifth, but Lin never does. 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. Greg Monroe has talent on the offensive side of the ball but not a whole lot on the defensive side. Bledsoe is a bit of a freak. In all, Wade was a three-time All-Defensive Team selection (all on the 2nd team), his 1620 steals rank 31st all-time and hes had six seasons where he ranked top-20 in steals per game. Top 5 Defensive Point Guards in NBA History - Basketball Articles 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. He appears to communicate the wisdom hes accrued to his teammates. Johnson is widely recognized as one of the all-time great point guards, particularly for his defense. Hes only 63, which is relatively good size for a point guard, but he just seems bigger. His helter-skelter wizziness has him flying around the court, and sometimes its good. Therefore, a lower score is superior. Nate Archibald 14. One of the greatest rebounding guards of all time. 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. Hes like a runner trying to run a mile by alternating between walking and sprinting 100 yards at a time. Stockton was the. Then again, the limited number of plays may be, in part, due to the fact that hes so hard to post up. He might not be the fastest guy in the world, but that doesnt keep him from trying to be. 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. 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. A defensive point guard will try to accomplish this with constant pressure on the ball, making it difficult to maintain possession. Some players get caught out of place, but they know theyre out of place. 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. Players Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Honors: 9x All-Stars, 9x All-NBA Selection, 1990-1991 Rookie of the Year, 9x All-Defensive Team Selection, 1995-1996 Defensive Player of the Year, Hall of Famer. 25. Interpreted as: best point guard defensive rating with a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 team games 2022 When hes not getting wrapped up, he plays the pick-and-roll well. The 25 greatest point guards of all time | Yardbarker Top 50 Point Guards of All-Time: Magic, The Big O and Curry top the List -- Adams, For nine consecutive years, Nash's teams led the NBA in offensive rating. We have listed down 25 of the finest point guards, so lets see who makes it to the top 10 point guards of all time. NRG VS KOI Highlights. Starter from the VCT lockin. #VCTLOCKIN # -- Adande, Teams When he tries, Lowry can be a solid defensive player, but that whole when he tries qualifier is pretty significant. 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. Each touches a different part of the elephant, one an ear, another the torso and so on. Defensively, Stockton had 3,265 steals the most all time during his 19-year. 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. On the other hand, no matter how solid the foundation is, you cant move into it. No question hell be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and hes one of the greatest rim-attacking players in NBA history. In all, Jordans 64.1 DWS rank him 21st all-time. One of basketballs most dynamic and versatile point guards in the modern era. Jrue Holiday. 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. Below is a list of the 25 Best point guards of the NBA. Sometimes he wont give that much effort, and then the next moment hell be trying too hard. This is where everything focuses on Westbrook. Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. That said, here are the NBAs five best defensive shooting guards of all-time, based on their DWS. Does he rotate on time? It will be interesting to see how well he does with Larry Sanders behind him in Milwaukee. He and Chris Paul are the contenders for smartest defensive point guard in the game today. 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. Frequently, teams would set the screen, and the point guard would just step behind the three-point line while Holiday was still underneath it (often all the way into the center of the lane) and drain wide-open treys. He has no All-Defensive team accolades, because those werent introduced until the 1968-1969 season. He may be the finest defensive guard ever because of his awareness and abilities on the defensive end.