For this reason, a point guard is usually, but not always, more skilled and focused on passing than shooting. Stockton embodied a true point guard: an extension of the coach that ran the teams offense seamlessly. In balance he was a plus, but his deficiencies cant be ignored. Teams Top 5 Defensive Point Guards in NBA History - Basketball Articles 25.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 9.5 APG, .485 FG%, The player As a result, he rarely gets tangled up with the pick-setter. Top 10 Point Guards of All Time - Point Guard Rankings - Observer Desk [2], Learn how and when to remove this template message, National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award, "The Olympic history of UConn's Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi", "Top 10 point guards in the NBA right now", FOXSports.com - Best all-time point guards, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Point_guard&oldid=1142307492, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 17:58. Its because Griffin and Jordan were on the bench next to him. The Glove was a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, making the First Team all nine times. 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. Still, a first-rate point guard should also have a reasonably effective jump shot. -- Adande, He led the NBA in assists nine straight seasons from 1987 to 1996. The same applies to any decent basketball argument (or any other kind, for that matter). Ranking the Best Defensive Point Guards in the NBA The only time hell go under a pick is when hes supposed to. He could be better than he is, but its hard to blame only him. Dennis Johnson. The following are the five categories and what was considered for each of them: How fast players are from end to end is only a part of speed. 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. Thats helped him amass 47.3 DWS, 56th overall. Ranking 50 Greatest Point Guards in NBA History The strength of this is that it shows what the other player does offensively. Hes the closest thing in the world to Kevin Garnetts Mini-Me. His quickness and slim frame allow him to slip through gaps in the defence and create more opportunities for himself. The second-highest regulation scoring output of the 3-point era was the culmination . 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? 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. 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. 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. He has two ways of guarding the isopray for help or flop. Teams For many of these metrics, sample size becomes crucial. Theres a running debate over the relative importance of stats versus watching. Stats tell you what happened, but you cant know why it happened unless you watch. Also, he was disliked for flopping feigning a foul to get the ball back, yet he proved to be a key ingredient to the Spurs championship-winning formula. NBA: Ranking top 10 point guards ever - ESPN.com He just cant do anything about it. He averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. James Harden's age: stats, contract, family, dating, net worth in 2022. Pauls been an All-Defensive Team selection nine times, being selected to the First Team seven times and the Second Team twice. The 25 greatest point guards of all time | Yardbarker 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. Apart from that, he seems to do what hes supposed to be doing when hes away from the ball. But he jogs when he should run, is lackadaisical closing out shooters and goes through the motions when running through his rotations. A point guard often controls the offense and they also control who gets the ball and who doesn't, as this type of controlling style of play is necessary to control the tempo of a game. Per Synergy, he forces turnovers 18.5 percent of the time, and he does so barely giving up any points. His most notable awards include five NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, three MVPs, nine All-NBA First Team selections, and 12 All-Star appearances. He doesnt have overwhelming effort that blows you away, but he has earnest effort. In his single season with the Wizards, the former NBA MVP averaged a triple-double (again), and he was a big reason why Washington made the playoffs after a rough start to the season. That earned him the nickname Mr. At 64, hes big enough to guard shooting guards, as well as point guards. Point guard from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States of America 3 Jason Kidd Point guard from California, United States of America 4 Walt Frazier Point guard from Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America 5 Dennis Johnson 6 Fat Lever Point guard and Shooting guard from Pine Bluff, Arkansas load more I like to compare it to the relationship between a foundation and a house. A defensive point guard will try to accomplish this with constant pressure on the ball, making it difficult to maintain possession. Although Wilkens is best known as a head coach, he was once an outstanding athlete. Pauls been an All-Defensive Team selection nine times, being selected to the 1st team seven times and the 2nd team twice. The values for the various metrics which comprised the WAM score and scouting scores are also available on each slide. Hes a learning player, and his extensive time sitting last year may have helped his grasp of defense as well as offense. 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. 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. 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. Its like someone took a normal-sized person and stretched out the arms and hands to make him. He leaves talented shooters alone to go double-team bad shooters. Instead of passing after bringing up the ball they quickly drive to the basket or step back for an outside shot. This is to avoid confusion if you want to go to the original source.). Each of these has its own value, and those specifics will be discussed more on the next slide. He is easily one of the physically weaker players in the league, even for his position. Sometimes, thats just not enough, especially if hes left to guard in isolation, where hes horrid, giving up .92 points per play. He does so by using positioning, skillful footwork and what lateral quickness he does have (which is a liberal use of the word "quickness") to minimize the damage. Only two NBA championships would make him the second-best player in NBA history. He is not a guy you would single out as an NBA player in a crowded room. If Williams had more pride in his defense, he would actually ask for, and depend on, help more than he does. Gary Payton 9. 5-on-5: Will Curry pass Magic as best PG ever? After the opponent scores, it is typically the point guard who brings the ball down the court to begin an offensive play. Being big and strong doesnt mean players automatically got higher scores, though. Rondos lack of a need for help defense allows Garnett to help more elsewhere. Stephen Curry 4. Because Derrick Rose was the NBAs youngest MVP in 2009, its unfortunate that the guy isnt higher on this list. 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. Thats 20th all-time, with Kidd being the only other guard above him. He bulls through picks well and is not afraid to go over them. Kawhi Leonard 11. One way of offsetting the problems of defensive rating is looking at on/off stats, meaning how many points does the defense give up while a player is on the court versus when he is off the court? Just telling your players to play harder and close out on threes isnt a real system. He almost always went under the pick. But only once did he actually truly defend the play. The .72 points per play he gives up in isolation is elite-level defense. Hes just unable able to get high enough to legitimately challenge the shot. When he gets set for a defensive play, he does a respectable job. That deceptive length helps him nab 2.5 steals per 36 minutes and grab a ridiculous number of rebounds for a person his height. Isaiah Thomas 5. 24. His record and effect on the game, particularly offensively, are legendary, and its easy to see why. It seems so much of Conley is either there or not there; you get it or you dont get it. He led the league in total steals this year and did so without playing a lot of gambling defense. Normally this would be a list of FAQs, but no one has ever asked any questions (since no one has ever seen it). The list of the best defensive NBA point guards for 2022-23 starts off with two of the elite perimeter defenders overall. 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. 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. This is especially true when closing out on defenders. -- Rob Peterson, One can only imagine how impressive his career totals might have been if not for the HIV virus. One of the greatest rebounding guards of all time. 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. He had unusual strength for his size, quick feet, elite hands, and timing to help him hold down opponents one-on-one and rack up steals. He normally makes the right play, even if he doesnt always do it well. Hell overshoot passing lanes, gambling for the steal. 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. There are a number of different types of metrics available from various websites. Its no surprise that the best point guards in the NBA have more than just the ability to pass the basketball. 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. Penny Hardaway was well recognized for his relationship with Shaquille ONeal when he was only a kid. When we watch basketball, we get general impressions of defense, but the storyline is whats happening with the ball. Isiah Thomas, born on April 30, 1961, and possibly the best player ever under 6-foot-1, combined talent with fierce competitiveness. In his book The Winner Within, Pat Riley described Magic as a club DJ. Jeremy Lin is not one of the faster point guards in the NBA, and hes not particularly quick either. Among the greatest point guards of all time, Tiny is among the finest ever. Others with less physical prowess can dominate defensively simply because they pour everything into it. The explosiveness and rim-running ability of Damian Lillard extend beyond his ability to shoot the ball from a distance. Perhaps the most unstoppable offensive player in NBA history, Jordan decimated and demoralized his foes on the defensive end. Players Stats: 23.2 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 8.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.3 BPG, Honors: 2016-2017 MVP, 9x All-Star, 8x All-NBA Selection, 2x Scoring Champion. Dont be surprised to see him as a head coach someday. All-Time #NBArank continues with a countdown of the best shooting guards in NBA history. Here he is. His issues related to intelligence, detailed later, compound this problem. 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. Bledsoe is a bit of a freak. Bucks: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Rockets vs. Spurs: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Hawks vs. Heat: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Pistons vs. Cavaliers: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Raptors vs. Wizards: Start time, where to watch, what's the latest, Russell Westbrook still wants Sixth Man of Year award from time with Lakers, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There are some serious contenders in Steve Nash and Walter Frazier, so hell have to settle for fourth place in the race. His foot speed is as good as anyone's in the league, and you cant measure that. His ability to score and create plays made him an NBA superstar. Nash was never known as a strong defender, but he was capable of bothering opposing point guards to some extent. He and Chris Paul are the contenders for smartest defensive point guard in the game today. Honors: 6x All-Star, 2x All-NBA Selection, 2011-2012 Rookie of the Year, Players Stats: 22.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG. -- Adande, The best two-way small player in league history, Paul embodies the era in which he plays by running the pick-and-roll as well as anyone has ever run it. Stockton is one of the greatest assist players in NBA history, if not the greatest. Because they each feel a different thing, an argument arises as to who is right. . 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. Similarly, while each of the advanced and/or traditional metrics has value, each also misses something.