When he applies it, he does so effectively, especially in isolation and the pick-and-roll. Hes not going to get beaten back, and he doesnt give up in transition. But mostly he plays smartly with an occasional brain fart. His low foul rate of 4.5 percent is another indication that hes adept at getting into position quickly. 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. Surely the most underappreciated great player in NBA history because he was quietly dependable rather than flashy and never broke through on the biggest stage. -- Adams, Combined savvy with underrated strength. They have value when there arent such extremes like the difference between Boozer and Gibson. The average score by point guards was 16.1. The other metrics help alleviate the extremes because they also indicate what a players personal defense does. After all, as his name implies, Billups was known for taking and making huge shots in order to help his team win. Thats good for 14th all-time in NBA history and he also had 10 seasons in the top 20 for steals per game. -- Adande, The only players in NBA history with more games with 20 points and 10 assists are Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. The same applies to any decent basketball argument (or any other kind, for that matter). We ranked the best point guards, determining the list with the help of B-R's position splits. Hes led the league in steals per game five times in the last six years. Thats 20th all-time, with Kidd being the only other guard above him. When defending the isolation play, he gives up a nauseating .94 points per play, a strong indication of that. Many remember Ginobili for his offense, but he was also a capable defender. 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. Nash is a top-ten point guard without a question. With his limited speed, he is always in full throttle and getting himself around the court, pestering whoever has the ball. This year, without Rose, the Bulls were 23rd, at 21.0 points per game. When the game is on the line, you like to see players find fifth, but Lin never does. The 25 greatest point guards of all time | Yardbarker Then, after a single down year, he had y straight years of 2 steals per . Hinrich has a bit more going for him in terms of size. One of the best -- and quickest -- lob passers the game has ever seen. He was an unstoppable offensive force who could score from anywhere on the court and in any way he wanted. 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. Needless to say, you dont see a lot of LeBron-Jamesian-chase-down blocks from Conley. Hell go flying outside the play, right as his man catches the ball, and then hell not only have to make up that ground, but hell also have to fight through the pick. Its safe to say that Kidd is one of the greatest guards to ever play on the basketball floor. While the Clippers were better when Paul was on the bench, it wasnt because he was on the bench. Hell overshoot passing lanes, gambling for the steal. That said, here are the five best defensive NBA point guards of all time, based on their DWS. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets. Over 90 percent of the time, the ball-handler gets by him. He needs more of the former and less of the latter. He was born on March 23, 1973. That helps him to dominate games defensively without having to leave the ground. Nash was never known as a strong defender, but he was capable of bothering opposing point guards to some extent. Ranking 50 Greatest Point Guards in NBA History Photo Gallery | NBA.com Teams G League WNBA BAL NBA 2K NBA Store NBA League Pass Tickets Schedule Team News Gameday Youth Basketball Shop. 11. Is he an effective flopper? He doesnt help much, but he doesnt get a lot of help either, so its a bit of a wash. To his credit, he has the best WAM score of any point guard without a great defensive center to back him up. He does all those little things that dont show up in box scores. Hes only 63, which is relatively good size for a point guard, but he just seems bigger. It probably tells the accurate story here. Since the first time a professional basketball player dribbled a ball, weve seen some of the greatest point guards in history. Steve Nash 7. Those are the questions I was looking to answer. James Harden's age: stats, contract, family, dating, net worth in 2022 and more. Chauncey Billups, or Mr. A point guard will often use their ability to score in order to augment their effectiveness as a decision-maker and playmaker. NBA History: Ranking the Greatest Guards Ever - Bleacher Report Del Negro just worried about the matchup without ever developing a true defensive system or identity with the Clippers. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 13. 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats Although Jordan won that battle, theres nothing wrong with being named the third-best defensive player at his position and one of the best shooting guards of all time. 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. Therefore, a lower score is superior. When he lets it go, though, it seems calculated. 2. By: HoopsHype. 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. Penny is deserving of a much better ranking just because he is such a gifted one. Apart from that, he seems to do what hes supposed to be doing when hes away from the ball. Opponents dont have much success getting around him. 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? Tony Parker is one of the fastest players in the league if youre going by pure speed. Conley looked away from Billups and was pointing vehemently to Paul, trying to tell Allen to get over there and cover him. He was the league's third player to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). And his athleticism gives him a leg up, which helps him dominate. Hes pouring out effort every minute hes on the court. Stockton was the. Why John Stockton is the greatest NBA point guard of all-time - The Roar Whether this is a result of his reputation being undeserved or him not putting forth the effort isnt hard to determine. Stephen Curry 4. He surpassed the achievements of every other guard in NBA history, except Russell Westbrooks achievements. 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. 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 . Marcus Smart. 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. Triple Double and for good reason: hes fourth all-time in triple-doubles with 107. He doesnt use his size exceptionally badly or incredibly well, though. Lillard would likely be at the top of this list if measured as an offensive package as a whole. If he wins an NBA championship, Chris Paul, the current number one point guard, will rise even higher on this ranking. He is so athletic and so strong for his size that hes been able to get away without learning lessons he should have. The perimeter player gets rewarded statistically for what the center did, even though he actually played shoddy defense. 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. Hes able to stay in front of all but the quickest point guards in the league. Brandon Knight has exceptional speed and quickness. That Paul was able to keep the Clippers on track through much of the season with the ever-changing defensive schemes the team had is pretty miraculous. -- Pelton. Its hard to notice his effort, though, because of the consistency with which he gets destroyed. Thats rarely going to be because of a mental error, though. Smart people recognize their limitations. But it seems like Paul is nutmeggingand breaking opposing defenders ankles every game. 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. Jerry West, one of the greatest point guards in NBA history, combines a lethal jump shot, tenacious defence, obsessive perfectionism, unwavering confidence, and an unwavering will to win. Photos: Top 10 NBA Point Guards Of All Time. He was a giant of a guard, but he had all the necessary talents, including the ability to dribble and pass. 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. 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. In systems like the Grizzlies play, the point guard is the first line of defense. Lennys passing and leadership on the floor were solid, but he also had a few great scoring years on the court. He stands third among the top 10 point guards of all time. Adande, His Game 6 in the 1980 Finals, while jumping center as a 20-year-old rookie, has to be on the Mt. You just dont see him make the wrong plays. Thats when you see him start to do things like not close out on shooters, merely waving his hand in the air instead. Derrick Rose 15. 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. His offensive style has been revamped to incorporate a powerful mid-range jumper along with some range as well. All that was due to Bryant emulating Jordans relentless drive to win on both sides of the floor. -- Brad Doolittle, Robertson's averaging a triple-double in 1961-62 is probably overrated because it was a product of the fast-paced play in the 1960s, but his role in the Milwaukee Bucks' early '70s championship run is probably underrated. 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. Its like someone took a normal-sized person and stretched out the arms and hands to make him. He has no All-Defensive team accolades, because those werent introduced until the 1968-1969 season. 43 views, 0 likes, 0 loves, 0 comments, 0 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from BabyYo: NRG VS KOI Highlights. 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 . Pauls been an All-Defensive Team selection nine times, being selected to the 1st team seven times and the 2nd team twice. James Harden's age: stats, contract, family, dating, net worth in 2022. 13.1 PPG, 10.5 APG, 2.2 SPG, .384 3P%, The player The list of the best defensive NBA point guards for 2022-23 starts off with two of the elite perimeter defenders overall. Watching Parker play defense for a while, particularly zooming in on the pick-and-roll plays, his impressive court awareness stands out. Top 20 best defensive midfielders in the world today: who are they? Players Stats: 24.0 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 5x All-Stars, 4x All-NBA Selection, 2012-2013 Rookie of the Year. However, the other side of the ball cant be overlooked because as the saying goes: defense wins championships.. "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. The scouting score was then combined with the WAM score to produce WAMS, with the scouting counting as one-third of the final score. Dubs' Curry (leg) could return as soon as Sun. One conundrum has always been how to account for who is guarding the best player on the other team. 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. Does he know when to go over the pick, and when to go under it? He and Chris Paul are the contenders for smartest defensive point guard in the game today. Watching him rotate was watching perfection. At 63, with a wingspan of almost 68, he has decent size. . For example, there was a play in which he was switched up against the Clippers, and he was put on Chauncey Billups, while Tony Allen was on Chris Paul. If theres a weakness, though, its that when he comes up against the elite offensive point guards, he will get beaten in isolation. 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. Even when picks are set behind his back, he instinctively knows they are there and just steps over them seamlessly. WAMS includes scouting. He has become one of the hardest working point guards in the league on both ends. If hes on the court, hes moving at full speed. Some will just hang around waiting for the play to end, but Jack keeps track of his man and also helps if its needed. Either way he chases the ball until he catches it. Isaiah Thomas 5. A point guard specializes in certain skills, like other player positions in basketball. As a result, he rarely gets tangled up with the pick-setter. 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. The result is our all-time NBA Top 100. That had the effect of distorting Pauls on/off numbers. Doc Rivers has had a lot of input into how Rondo plays the game. As one of the elite point guards in the NBA, you would expect him to have elite athleticism, but he actually doesnt. In fact, its probably the most important thing. Its difficult to have a perfect rating system thats entirely objective, and even more difficult to have a realistic one that is purely subjective. Hes just unable able to get high enough to legitimately challenge the shot. For his time with the Phoenix Suns, Johnson is most known for his role alongside Charles Barkley. He has 12 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA selections, nine All-Defensive Team selections, and a second-place MVP finish in his third season at 22. On the other hand, hes not tremendously athletic. Our booby prize winner is pictured above. 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. MVP (1956-57), 13-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Championships Holiday knows what to do, but he doesnt always do it. All pre-draft measurements were obtained from the database hosted on Draft Express. The explosiveness and rim-running ability of Damian Lillard extend beyond his ability to shoot the ball from a distance. Thomas was ultra-quick with the ball and, at any moment, could pull up for a deadly jump shot. He compensates for his diminutive size by fighting hard and using that aforementioned quickness. Players Stats: 17.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 9.1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG, Honors: 3x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Selection, 1988-1989 Most Improved Player. Pun intended. Oscar is the first triple-double king and is one of the greatest NBA players of all time, no matter what position he is playing. In terms of career statistics and postseason accomplishments, he ranks as the NBAs fourth-best point guard of all time. Brandon Knight has work intelligence. In case you missed it, Jason Kidd was tops on the list with 75.1 DWS, good for 11th all-time. He routinely gets blistered in isolation (.93 points per play), fails to close out well on shooters and lags when coming off of screens. The NBA is a point guard's paradise these days, so let's start All-Time #NBArank with our pantheon points. Bob Cousey 8. While he does benefit from help defense, its not as often as you might think. 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. Robertson's offensive ability transformed the point guard stereotype from a passer and floor general to a scorer and offensive weapon. He always seems to know exactly where everyone is. He may get beaten occasionally, and he might get outmuscled more frequently, but he never gets outhustled. Hes able to use that size advantage by being physical, playing close and aggressive, often forcing shooters into shots they arent comfortable taking. Hakeem Olajuwon 2. When hes not getting wrapped up, he plays the pick-and-roll well. Probably the most versatile point guard in NBA history, and perhaps a tad underrated given that the focus on his assists overshadowed how valuable his defense was. Take, for example, Carlos Boozer in 2012. He uses quickness to capably guard the perimeter, but thats in large part because hes not always defending the elite point guards. Pass-first points of the past have given way to dynamic creators who can score as well as set up teammates. With the increased emphasis on the deep three, point guards account for a large portion of the league's top scorers. Cousy, in many respects, was the Celtics spirit at the moment. Top 10 Point Guards of All Time - Point Guard Rankings - Observer Desk Championships: 3. Hes not as horrible as some people would make it sound. 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. He arguably powers through picks better than any point guard in the league. But it seems like Paul is nutmegging and breaking opposing defenders ankles every game. As a rookie, Bill Russell relied on Cousy to lead the league in assists, and he won the MVP Award for his efforts. He also uses that length to be one of the best shot-blocking point guards in the league. 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. No one was a better passer than him. Whenever anyone imagines a point guard, chances are theyre thinking of Utah Jazz legend John Stockton. One of the most recognisable players in NBA history, Walt Frazier is a deserving candidate for the Basketball Hall of Fame. What he gives up at the point of attack, he makes up for with his team defense. Michael Jordan 10. Whenever anyone imagines a point guard, chances are theyre thinking of Utah Jazz legend John Stockton. He appears to communicate the wisdom hes accrued to his teammates. If it tends to fall in the middle, he gets a 20. Jed Jacobsohn/AP Images. 1. With his record of successes and pioneering point guard talents, Magic is at the top of the list. He bulls through picks well and is not afraid to go over them. Players Stats: 15.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 5x All-Star, 5x All-NBA Selection, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 5x All-Defensive Selection, Hall of Famer. Although both Kidd and Paul were more accurate shooters, his passing range was broader than any of them. Some players get caught out of place, but they know theyre out of place. 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. Whatever else you want to say about Brandon Knight, just dont say he never tries. It is a testament to Jarrett Jack that he makes this list. 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. The players are ranked according to their WAMS. When people think of NBA point guards, he set the mold. The 3 Best NBA Defenders At Every Position For The 2022-23 Season 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. The .72 points per play he gives up in isolation is elite-level defense. -- Adande, Nash is the only player in history to go 50-40-90 while averaging 10 assists per game. Along with leadership and a general basketball acumen, ball-handling is a skill of great importance to a point guard. The Cleveland Cavaliers relied heavily on Kyrie Irving to take and hit huge shots, even when he was partnered with LeBron James. To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. He would find a way to beat his opponents, mentally and physically, and without his defensive tenacity, he wouldnt be considered the greatest of all-time. He could play any spot on the court as well. How much a player understands his role in the defense is measured here. He doesnt have overwhelming effort that blows you away, but he has earnest effort. Please check your email for a confirmation. He has a barrel chest, broad shoulders and 20 pounds on most point guards, so he gives the appearance of dwarfing players that are technically as tall as he is. 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. He is entirely too aggressive. For the time being, his lack of effectiveness and poor decision-making precludes him from being considered one of the top five point guards. When you look at his on/off numbers, you expect that hed be a solid help defender, but you dont see much evidence of that. What are you crying about lmfao 03 Mar 2023 00:55:09 Humility can often be a sign of intelligence at work, and it is with Hinrich. Gary Payton 9. This is where everything focuses on Westbrook. Watching a thing, and watching for a thing, are different. He does get a bit of a bump here for his rebounding. At 64, hes big enough to guard shooting guards, as well as point guards. Interpreted as: best point guard defensive rating with a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 team games 2022 Chris is also a leader on the defensive end of the court, having been named to nine All-Defensive Teams. That concludes the WAP portion of our programming schedule. DJ, standing 6'4, started playing point for Boston in the second half of his basketball career and was often tasked with shutting down . Think: Dennis Rodman. He almost always went under the pick. This is a necessity because of the point guard's many leadership obligations. 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. I considered both their actual measurables and how well they used them. Honors: 7x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Selection, 1966-1967 Rookie of the Year, 1967-1968 Scoring Champion, Hall of Famer.
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