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. In terms of career statistics and postseason accomplishments, he ranks as the NBAs fourth-best point guard of all time. Holiday has ample size for a point guard, standing a shade over 64 in shoes, and weighing in at 205 pounds. A defensive point guard will also pressure opponents in passing lanes in an attempt to generate steals and scoring opportunities for their own team. The Clippers were 10 points better with Lamar Odom on the court than DeAndre Jordan according to NBA.com/STATS. Knight gets almost no help whatsoever from help defense. Interpreted as: best defensive rating with a minimum of 10000 minutes played point guards in NBA history. His career averages of 27 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 7.0 APG were arguably the best ever put up by a point guard when he retired in 1974. Yet somehow he manages to compensate and do a reasonably fair job of defending, even in isolation. 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. Perhaps the most unstoppable offensive player in NBA history, Jordan decimated and demoralized his foes on the defensive end. Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (2005-06), Career stats When it came to size, the main flaw in his game was that he was very fast and explosive with his handles. 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 . Since the first time a professional basketball player dribbled a ball, weve seen some of the greatest point guards in history. If theres a weakness, though, its that when he comes up against the elite offensive point guards, he will get beaten in isolation. His shot-making and defense made him a top-tier point guard throughout his career. But one in 20 is egregiously bad.). Gary Payton is one of the best ever. No one was a better passer than him. Nate Archibald 14. Stockton was the. Thats a difference of almost five points a game given up to point guards. 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 With his athleticism and speed, there is no way that Rose should get beaten off the dribble as often as he does. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? They say that defense is mostly about effort. Simply put, defensive win shares (DWS) are defined by how many wins a player produces based on his defensive ability. Can they play bigger than they really are? Hopefully he can break it. It will be interesting to see how well he does with Larry Sanders behind him in Milwaukee. Fairly straightforward, this takes into account height, length and strength. In the NBA, point guards generally range from 6ft 1in (1.85m) to 6ft 4in (1.93m) whereas in the WNBA, point guards are usually 5ft 9in (1.75m) or shorter. If someone goes past him, hell usually just wave goodbye. 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. Players Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Other defenders deficiencies are hidden by being put on weaker offensive players. It will be interesting to see if his new coach, Jason Kidd, can help him to work on this, as Kidd was a terrific help defender. 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. His contributions won him a spot on the NBA All-Time 50th Anniversary Team. He merits a high score here. While no one always guards the best player, some players are much more likely to be guarding the other teams elite players, which makes them appear weaker defensively. 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 . It is startling to see the regularity with which opponents blow past Deron Williams. 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. His lateral quickness is below-average, and his straightaway speed isnt much either. -- Peterson, Teams 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, .485 FG%, The player Its like someone took a normal-sized person and stretched out the arms and hands to make him. He is so athletic and so strong for his size that hes been able to get away without learning lessons he should have. He plays longer than he actually is. In addition to the traditional role of the point guard, modern teams have found new ways to utilize the position. Oscar Robertson 3. (I know, but it is a part of defense these days.) He could play any spot on the court as well. -- Doolittle, Over the past season and a half, Curry has played point guard as well as anyone else in NBA history. He works well within a system where there are no real defensive weaknesses. He bulls through picks well and is not afraid to go over them. On defense, the point guard is tasked with making the opposing point guard as ineffective as possible. The point guard is positioned on the perimeter of the play, so as to have the best view of the action. 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. On the other hand, you cant deny what happened, regardless of how much you watch. 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. 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. From that, each player was scored in five different areas on a scale of 18 (best) to 22 (worst). Kevin Durant, surprisingly, also bails out his co-star a lot. Over the last decade, the best point guards such as Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and others have dominated the position. That makes sense since Parker has assumed the primary responsibility on offense and theres no reason to wear himself out playing defense. During the 1960-1961 season, the then-32-year-old Cousy racked up 6.3 DWS, the most in his career. Aware of his predilections, theyll pass the ball out to the perimeter, and simultaneous to the ball-handler catching it, theyll set a pick on Westbrook. Did they get pushed around easily? He may be the finest defensive guard ever because of his awareness and abilities on the defensive end. In case you missed it, Jason Kidd was tops on the list with 75.1 DWS, good for 11th all-time. Previously, Id had the impression that Rondo was beaten more often than he actually is and that Kevin Garnett just constantly bailed him out, which made his numbers look better than they are. 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. Teams Opponents dont have much success getting around him. He doesnt put a lot of effort into chasing his man through screens. Its because Griffin and Jordan were on the bench next to him. Mr. A point guard specializes in certain skills, like other player positions in basketball. 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. There are some disadvantages to this style of play. He was an unstoppable offensive force who could score from anywhere on the court and in any way he wanted. John Stockton 6. If youre a fan of the TV show Suits, you might agree that Harvey Specter dresses well. Were shooters able to shoot over them? He led the league in total steals this year and did so without playing a lot of gambling defense. 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. Just because someone gets past him doesnt mean theyre going to score. Even his athletic scores dont indicate greatness. Penny is deserving of a much better ranking just because he is such a gifted one. Hes still learning to apply that tremendous athleticism on the defensive end of the court, though. He is not a guy you would single out as an NBA player in a crowded room. Theres nothing wrong with knowing when you need it. But his lack of any vertical leap kills him on the jump shot. There are some serious contenders in Steve Nash and Walter Frazier, so hell have to settle for fourth place in the race. He was the league's third player to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). Top 10 Point Guards of All Time Best NBA Point Guards, NBA and other Best Basketball Leagues in the World, Facebook and Twitter takedown hackers targeting Ukraine political figures and military officials via fake accounts, Britney Spears called out Fans that She felt Sick to her stomach after Family plans Intervention, Stephen tWitch Boss passed away intestate, wife Allison Holker has filed Estate Control. Hes incredibly focused while on the court, but hes always working things out in his head; they dont come automatically, and that costs him time. Despite his little size, he made up for it offensively by being lightning fast and had the whole attacking package. The players are ranked according to their WAMS. Its not uncommon to see him challenge shots with both feet on the floor. While that is by design, he shouldnt get the same credit as players who bring their full attention the entire time theyre on the court. He was transcendent. WAM is the foundation, and WAMS is the house. Tim Duncan The defensive stats arent a good way to determine the totality of defense, but they are a factor and shouldnt be ignored. Players Stats: 18.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 2010-2011 MVP, 3x All-Star, 1x All-NBA Selection, 2008-2009 Rookie of the Year. But, there is one only shooting guard that leapfrogged over all others. He is easily one of the physically weaker players in the league, even for his position. His most notable awards include five NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, three MVPs, nine All-NBA First Team selections, and 12 All-Star appearances. 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! He was an All-Star every year of his career and led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances. For each of the following metrics, click on the subhead to be taken to the source website for more details. Damian Lillard's nuclear 71-point explosion Sunday night was jaw-dropping and somehow not all that surprising. Hes able to use that size advantage by being physical, playing close and aggressive, often forcing shooters into shots they arent comfortable taking. However, he doesnt appear to have the same strength they do. After years of being sidelined by ailments, the grandeur that should have been his was snatched from him. A lot has been made of how an explosive offense is the way to captivate fans. The second-highest regulation scoring output of the 3-point era was the culmination . He could be better than he is, but its hard to blame only him. His offensive style has been revamped to incorporate a powerful mid-range jumper along with some range as well. 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. 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). Parker is a seasoned point guard who plays the game like a pro. This can cause other players to become disinvolved in the offense. -- Peterson, A menace on both ends of the court, Frazier was at his best in the 1970 NBA Finals when tallied 36 points, 19 assists, 7 rebounds in a title-clinching Game 7. It is akin to the blind men and the elephant in the Indian fable adapted to a poem by John Godfrey Saxe. His helter-skelter wizziness has him flying around the court, and sometimes its good. (Note: Players chosen only if they have played as a shooting guard for most, if not all, of their career.). One of the great conundrums in rating defense is that teammates factor into it. You just dont see him make the wrong plays. Interpreted as: best point guard defensive rating with a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 team games 2022 Marcus Smart. You cant say that Westbrook doesnt try on defense, but you can say he doesnt show consistent effort on defense. Defensively, Stockton had 3,265 steals the most all time during his 19-year. READ ALSO: James Harden's age: stats, contract, family, dating, net worth in 2022 and more. However, who are the all-time top point guards? 21.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.9 APG, .441 3P%, We counted down the greatest players in NBA history. Starter from the VCT lockin. 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. 43 views, 0 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from BabyYo: NRG VS KOI Highlights. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. Isaiah Thomas 5. The Glove was a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, making the First Team all nine times. Then, when players pull up and shoot, he doesnt use his length to close and get a hand in the face of the shooter. -- Kevin Pelton, Teams He doesnt use his size exceptionally badly or incredibly well, though. -- Adande, The only players in NBA history with more games with 20 points and 10 assists are Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. The number in the parentheses indicates where they ranked in that category. Of course having book smarts doesnt preclude you from knowing what youre doing on the court either. Gary Payton 12. Despite the fact that he was unable to win an NBA championship, his charisma and dribbling prowess will never be forgotten. A 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, a nine-time 1st team All-Defense and three-time 2nd team All-Defense, Bryants 50.6 DWS ranks him 43rd overall. Here are the answers to some questions readers are likely to have. The Cleveland Cavaliers relied heavily on Kyrie Irving to take and hit huge shots, even when he was partnered with LeBron James. The "Big O" was capable of doing it all. He applies his energy smartly. He finished the game with the most career postseason points and the highest average in a playoff series. To read more, go here! He has no All-Defensive team accolades, because those werent introduced until the 1968-1969 season. Other stats were determined by using my trusty sidekick, MS Excel, loaded up with standard stats available on most websites. 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. In the 13 seasons in which he played more than 60 games, mostly with the Chicago Bulls, the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year was a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection all first-team honors and a three-time steals champion. The average score by point guards was 16.1. All-Time #NBArank continues with a countdown of the best shooting guards in NBA history. Paul is just listed at just 60, and that might be generous. He doesnt cheat in either direction, though. As a result, he rarely gets tangled up with the pick-setter. 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5APG, .375 FG%, The player They tried just as hard as the valedictorian, but all they got were Bs. Does he know when to help and not to help? Seriously, you should hear Mark Jackson rave about him. People that just do their job dont usually pitch in and help their co-workers. It seems to be down to less than once a game. -- Adams, Combined savvy with underrated strength. 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. Sometimes, all that the on/off stats tell you is the difference between two players that play the same position. The greater problem is how easily he gets disrupted on pick-and-roll defense. As a result of his hurling himself around the court with utter abandon, he was generally a positive when it came to help defense. Penny, a taller point guard, was an excellent dribbler and a great passer. Its why Williams gives up .92 points per play in isolation, one of the worst averages among point guards. For this reason, a point guard is usually, but not always, more skilled and focused on passing than shooting. The players listed below are our picks for the best point guards in NBA history. 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. What is the difference between WAM and WAMS? James is well-known for his incredible skill and ability to score big points, which frequently help his team win crucial games. The facts need to come first. Hakeem Olajuwon 2. Probably no point guard in the league does a better job of recovering defensively than Rose does. . 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. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. What color was his tie? SHOCKING one of the best defensive point guards of all time played great defense on a 20 year project old player. Simply put, defensive win shares (DWS) are defined by how many wins a player produces based on his defensive ability. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. He was a master at leading the fastbreak, which led to Celtics titles. His net defensive rating is fairly close to even, and slightly above average for point guards. Bledsoe is not a great help defender, in spite of boasting a -4.9 net defensive rating. He also used his incredible basketball IQ to steal the ball and defend at a high level. Allen Iverson 11. Sometimes even when hes being smart, he gets a little dumb. Sometimes it doesnt. Still, a first-rate point guard should also have a reasonably effective jump shot. 7-time All-Star, 6-time All-NBA selection, 7-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats Gary Payton. Derrick Rose 15. The Glove is hands down the best defender a the point guard position. 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). You probably cant say right away, because you watched the storyline, not how Harvey dressed. The only thing keeping Thomas off this list is his brief career by star standards. 1. The other metrics help alleviate the extremes because they also indicate what a players personal defense does. On Wednesday, we will have the top 10 shooting guards of all time, followed by small forwards, power forwards and centers. As a result, the picks work extremely well. However his brilliant and consistent team defense team keeps passing lanes secure and helps prevent a lot of plays from developing the way they normally would. That would make sense, but there are two reasons to choose the unconventional scale. On the flip side, Westbrook's 4.13 turnovers per game average is the highest all-time, with Johnson (3. . 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If he had just a little more strength and could get through the screens just a tad bit quicker, then that ground could be eaten up ever so fractionally sooner, and he would be able to have that smidgen of success needed to effectively challenge those three-point shots. He has above-average size and strength, but he doesnt play like it. Watching Parker play defense for a while, particularly zooming in on the pick-and-roll plays, his impressive court awareness stands out. Moncrief is well known for his defensive prowess. He didnt have an eye-popping number, but he was in the top 25 percent of players there. Hes a learning player, and his extensive time sitting last year may have helped his grasp of defense as well as offense. However, the other side of the ball cant be overlooked because as the saying goes: defense wins championships.. At 61 and 171 pounds, Rondo is pretty small by NBA standards, but he plays much tougher than his size. That makes him eligible for inclusion on this list of best point guards. Though he had a relatively short career he only played 13 seasons his 50.4 DWS is 44th overall. The NBA's best European guard, Tony Parker, monopolised opposing backcourt players with speed and agility, a tight crossover, and a gorgeous tear-drop floater in the lane. He gets a higher score here than he technically deserves because he tries so hard. There are few players on this list who can match his incredible scoring, rebounding, and playmaking prowess. Synergy tracks every play of every game of the season and, when possible (as it is not always possible), they assign an initial defender on a play. Players Stats: 13.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Honors: 10x All-Star, 11x All-NBA Selection, 5x All-Defensive Team Selection, Hall of Famer. Triple Double and for good reason: hes fourth all-time in triple-doubles with 107. He joined the NBA in 1960 and quickly established himself, averaging 30.5 points per game and winning Rookie of the Year. -- Pelton, Perhaps the most incredible part of the Big O's triple-double season is that he finished third in MVP voting (behind winner Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged 50.4 PPG). On the other hand, no matter how solid the foundation is, you cant move into it. 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), Career stats -- Adams, The fashion forerunner to Russell Westbrook. Players Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 7.5 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG, Honors: 1956-1957 MVP, 13x All-Star, 12x All-NBA Selection, Hall of Famer. Tony Parker is one of the fastest players in the league if youre going by pure speed. 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. -- Haberstroh, Teams One of the greatest rebounding guards of all time. He leaves talented shooters alone to go double-team bad shooters. At the point guard position, point guard Damian Lillard is one of the games most talented shooters and scorers. Something was great about that play, but it was Knight showing the heart to challenge Jordan, not Jordan dunking on a man a foot shorter than himself. 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. Young players who are relatively short are now developing the scoring aspects of their skill-sets, whereas previously these players would find it difficult to enter the NBA without true point guard skills. His score would be much worse if it werent for help defense from Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Chris Andersen frequently coming to his aid. His high rebound rate, while partly indicative of his speed is also a result of positioning, which relates to his IQ. In systems like the Grizzlies play, the point guard is the first line of defense. Jeremy Lin is not one of the faster point guards in the NBA, and hes not particularly quick either. Paul was able to keep you at bay on one side of the court while dominating the other with his scoring and passing abilities. Nash was never known as a strong defender, but he was capable of bothering opposing point guards to some extent. Current NBA point guards known for their defensive prowess include Jrue Holiday, Mike Conley Jr., Marcus Smart, and Chris Paul. If it tends to fall in the middle, he gets a 20. An indication of this is the fact that hes had only nine dunks in his career, the last of which was over seven years ago. He was born on March 23, 1973. 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. A 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, a nine-time 1st team All-Defense and three-time 2nd team All-Defense, Bryant's 50.6 DWS ranks him 43rd overall. Hes always looking where hes supposed to go, and moving in that direction, but he just takes his time getting there. Its got to be annoying, but its also disruptive, and being disruptive is positive on defense. He has a real grasp of the game, and he helps convey that to his teammates. Six blind men all go to see an elephant which they'venever encountered before. By the time he was done, he had racked up 10 All-Star appearances, nine All-Defense selections, six All-NBA . 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? Norris Coles individual numbers are all better than Chalmers, but he gets docked with lower team numbers. 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 the primary defender on 1,127 plays last year in all, surpassed only by Stephen Curry among point guards. However, when the game is on the line, he makes the right decision. He is tremendous at using that muscle to his advantage, too. He led the NBA in scoring in only his second season, 1967-68, with 27.1 points per game. MVP (2014-15), two-time All-Star, two-time All-NBA selection, Career stats Chasing down balls, hell reach from behind and disrupt the dribble. Hes 63 with a 68 wingspan and an 83 standing reach. The only thing is that the Bulls actually gave up 8.6 more points while he was on the court. -- Adams, Honors 5-on-5: Will Curry pass Magic as best PG ever? 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. OPER is the Opponents Player Efficiency Rating and has been tracked by 82games.com since 2008. 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. But mostly he plays smartly with an occasional brain fart. Eric Bledsoe has a reputation as being both quick and fast, even for a point guard, but he rarely shows it on defense. 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. Scouting isnt the same as just watching games. Sometimes, thats just not enough, especially if hes left to guard in isolation, where hes horrid, giving up .92 points per play. 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. He has become one of the hardest working point guards in the league on both ends.
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