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. When it comes to intangibles, Chris Paul is the elite point guard in the league. Then our ESPN expert panel voted on thousands of head-to-head matchups, with voting based on both peak performance and career value. He cant be faulted for not being taller or longer, but he could use the length he has better. 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. He doesnt put a lot of effort into chasing his man through screens. It probably tells the accurate story here. More explosive and athletic point guards focus on scoring as opposed to play-making, forgoing assists and ball-movement, and often defense, for higher scoring numbers. West became synonymous with brilliant basketball during his 14-year playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He has decent size for a point guard, at 63 but he doesnt have much of a vertical: 28.5.. His shot-making and defense made him a top-tier point guard throughout his career. Its interesting that when he plays against elite point guards, or when he plays angrily, he plays much more of a physical game. Some of this is hard to know whether to ascribe to Bledsoe or to his former coach, Vinny Del Negro, who hones his X's and O's skills by playing tic-tac-toe online. Best Defenders in NBA History: Top 50 Best Defensive Players With his record of successes and pioneering point guard talents, Magic is at the top of the list. He seemed to keep ahead of the play, moving to the next rotation a fraction of a second before the play even developed in that direction. Thats 20th all-time, with Kidd being the only other guard above him. 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. Nash is a top-ten point guard without a question. Chauncey Billups, or Mr. This is especially true when closing out on defenders. -- Adams, The fashion forerunner to Russell Westbrook. He had absolutely no help backing him up, and that inflates his objective numbers. 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. He was a master at leading the fastbreak, which led to Celtics titles. The 25 greatest point guards of all time | Yardbarker This is also from the various sources we have used. To read more, go here! Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats A lot has been made of how an explosive offense is the way to captivate fans. My guess is that it has something to do with that. The Big O's best statistical season came in 1961-62, when he averaged a triple-double for the entire season, a feat that has never been duplicated. He does all those little things that dont show up in box scores. He manages to defend the pick-and-roll reasonably well by doing something I can only call bouncing over picks. Several sites track this, each in its slightly unique way, depending on its formula to calculate possessions. Later in his career, he even improved as an outside shooter, which contributed significantly to his longevity. Average players struggled, though. For many of these metrics, sample size becomes crucial. But his lack of any vertical leap kills him on the jump shot. He also is tougher than most point guards to post up. -- Peterson, Teams 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), Career stats They tried just as hard as the valedictorian, but all they got were Bs. Dikembe Mutombo 7. Jordans inclusion as the best defensive shooting guard isnt surprising considering his relentless attitude to winning. It just feels like there should be another notch where pride kicks in, he gets passionateor even angryand he hits another level. Lillard has been one of the NBA's most dangerous scorers, capable of striking shots from anywhere on the floor. Lillard would likely be at the top of this list if measured as an offensive package as a whole. He doesnt have overwhelming effort that blows you away, but he has earnest effort. The point guard was always capable of scoring the ball at the . As a result, hes been a member of the All-Defensive 1st Team four times and a member of the All-Defensive 2nd Team five times. Top 5 Defensive Point Guards in NBA History - Basketball Articles Sometimes his teammates bailed him out; sometimes the shot just didnt go in. Its not uncommon to see him challenge shots with both feet on the floor. 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. All the other tools and effort can be rendered useless by a little stupidity. 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. Hes pouring out effort every minute hes on the court. Fairly straightforward, this takes into account height, length and strength. Generally speaking, the point guard is the player in possession of the ball for the most time during a game and is responsible for maintaining possession of the ball for their team in the face of any pressure from the opponents. Even players like Derek Fisher will hang him up and then hit him with the step-back. However, the other side of the ball cant be overlooked because as the saying goes: defense wins championships.. But mostly he plays smartly with an occasional brain fart. -- Adams, He could hurt defenses in so many ways: Controlling tempo was one, and he was a hell of a defender, too. In fact, a player may have great individual numbers precisely because he is actually detrimental to his team. In many cases, I looked at their combine results. He does a poor job of defending the spot-up, surrendering 1.07 points per play. Steph's ball-handling abilities make him a lethal ball-handler, as he can shake a defender at any time. 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. Chalmers will fail at things, but not because he isnt trying. He lifted the Lakers, and transition basketball, to ethereal levels. On those, there is no link available. Players Stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 2006-2007 Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Selection. Lets say a perimeter defender gets beaten and then his center blocks the shot. Perhaps he just grew weary of Doug Collins' act. That had the effect of distorting Pauls on/off numbers. Thats rarely going to be because of a mental error, though. He could create at an elite level while also scoring off the dribble from the midrange. That said, here are the NBAs five best defensive shooting guards of all-time, based on their DWS. -- Doolittle, Cousy was an And-1 mix tape in black-and-white. The 10 Best Tall Point Guards in NBA History - Plus 2 Clothing Like last time, these shooting guards are ranked based on the cumulative defensive win shares (DWS). Thomas was ultra-quick with the ball and, at any moment, could pull up for a deadly jump shot. But he jogs when he should run, is lackadaisical closing out shooters and goes through the motions when running through his rotations. It is startling to see the regularity with which opponents blow past Deron Williams. Cincinnati Royals (1960-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-74), Honors If he wins an NBA championship, Chris Paul, the current number one point guard, will rise even higher on this ranking. Even though Payton only played a little part in 2006, the Heats success would not have been possible without his defensive presence and leadership. DJ, standing 6'4, started playing point for Boston in the second half of his basketball career and was often tasked with shutting down . He did it not once, not twice, but three times. A defensive point guard will try to accomplish this with constant pressure on the ball, making it difficult to maintain possession. You just dont see him make the wrong plays. Rondos lack of a need for help defense allows Garnett to help more elsewhere. Because Derrick Rose was the NBAs youngest MVP in 2009, its unfortunate that the guy isnt higher on this list. Walt Frazier 10. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets. The weakness is that it also includes some of what the other player does defensively, (e.g.. blocks, steals, and defensive rebounds). Over 90 percent of the time, the ball-handler gets by him. He doesnt just bring effort to every game; he brings it in all the right ways. You can be the best shooter in the world, but you can't score if you don't get the ball. The point guard is positioned on the perimeter of the play, so as to have the best view of the action. I doubt its much beyond his height. Furthermore, he is a legend for the Phoenix Suns and one of the teams finest players. The Best NBA Point Guards Of All Time - The Delite Jed Jacobsohn/AP Images. He is tremendous at using that muscle to his advantage, too. Hes the closest thing in the world to Kevin Garnetts Mini-Me. Rondo may not be big, but he doesnt know that. For a position that was highly valued at the time, he brought a lot of sparkle, style, scoring, and domination to the court. Even though hes been injured a lot, Paul is averaging over two steals a game for his career. He gave up 1.01 points per play on the spot-up last year. In systems like the Grizzlies play, the point guard is the first line of defense. He arguably makes more plays on his feet, both offensively and defensively, than anyone else. 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. Mr. As a result, opponents shot 42.9 percent from deep against him in the pick-and-roll. 10-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA selection, nine-time All-D selection, co-Rookie of the Year (1994-95), Career stats Players Stats: 20.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Jason Kidd was the definition of a jack-of-all-trades point guard: he could pass, score and grab rebounds. Mentally subtract them from the rankings if you feel they shouldn'tbe included. Despite making it to the Western Conference Finals last season, he is yet to make an appearance in the NBA Finals. When he tries, Lowry can be a solid defensive player, but that whole when he tries qualifier is pretty significant. That earned him the nickname Mr. His foot speed is as good as anyone's in the league, and you cant measure that. However, despite Chris Paul and Jason Kidds prominence, Steve Nash became a two-time MVP who had no weaknesses on the offensive end. His quickness and slim frame allow him to slip through gaps in the defence and create more opportunities for himself. While he does benefit from help defense, its not as often as you might think. It also helps him to have the second-most defensive plays per 36 minutes of any of the point guards on this list. Miami Heat and Dwyane Wade won the NBA championship in 2006 with him as a member of the Seattle SuperSonics. 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. In his first season, he specialized in defense and could stop almost every point guard in the league on a regular basis. That said, here are the five best defensive NBA point guards of all time, based on their DWS. He never leaves his man to help a defender that doesnt need help, but he always seems to be there when help is needed. 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. At 6-foot-1, he's the shortest NBA Finals MVP in league history, a reflection of his unique ability to dominate at the point guard position. Their primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for their team, or sometimes for themselves. He stands third among the top 10 point guards of all time. In his 20 seasons, Bryant. By: HoopsHype. When hes not getting wrapped up, he plays the pick-and-roll well. That can create an illusion of great defense where there is none. 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. However, when the game is on the line, he makes the right decision. If you are a basketball freak, you might be interested in knowing about NBA and other Best Basketball Leagues in the World. His wingspan isnt much better at just 64. Dallas Mavericks (1994-96, 2008-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-08), New York Knicks (2012-13), Honors Point guards are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time. He is not a guy you would single out as an NBA player in a crowded room. Russ is already on the verge of breaking into the top five of all time, but its going to be a challenge. Stats dont tell the whole story and our eyes often only confirm what we already know. Like last time . Hes still learning to apply that tremendous athleticism on the defensive end of the court, though. If Williams had more pride in his defense, he would actually ask for, and depend on, help more than he does. 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. But Gary Payton did as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. 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. A decade of playing and a plethora of injuries havent helped him get any faster. The five best defensive point guards of all time | Yardbarker 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. Although Drexler never made an All-Defensive Team in his career, he did average two steals per game for his 15-year career. Dennis Johnson. Coming over as a 25-year-old rookie, Ginobili only had two seasons where he had fewer than one steal per game and he averaged 1.3 steals for his career. Hes one of the slower point guards in the league now, but in spite of that, hes almost ubiquitous at times. Watching video on Lin gave me one impression that stood out above everything else: his awareness of where he was on the court and where he needed to be. 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. He affected the paradigm for overseas guards trying to break into the NBA. He uses his length well when trying to close out on jumpers, utilizing all of his elevation and his full length. At the point guard position, point guard Damian Lillard is one of the games most talented shooters and scorers. Magic Johnson 2. Do they get their hands up and use their length? -- Rob Peterson, One can only imagine how impressive his career totals might have been if not for the HIV virus. Although Stockton accumulated numerous All-NBA nods, he only made the All-Defensive 2nd Team five times. He finished the game with the most career postseason points and the highest average in a playoff series. 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection, five-time All-D selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats When going against point guards who have a respectable jump shot, that becomes problematic. 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. OPER is the Opponents Player Efficiency Rating and has been tracked by 82games.com since 2008. One of the greatest rebounding guards of all time. Hinrich always had a high basketball IQ. -- Pelton, If he had played with The Mailman or a defense as stout as the Pistons, he might have made a couple of Finals by now. Not to mention that he is an elite finisher around the rim, shooting 61.5 per cent on 5-foot attempts. Hall of Famer was an impressive defensive player in his own right, Latest Jonathan Isaac injury may signal end of his Magic career, Seven Cubs pitchers combine for spring no-hitter vs. Padres, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones comments on Tony Pollard rumor, Ben Simmons suffers back injury while rehabilitating, Insider: It's Packers, Jets 'or bust' for Aaron Rodgers, QB Anthony Richardson doesn't understand his 'project' label, Vikings HC reveals 'crazy' thoughts about star WR, XFL player released for giving another team plays from own playbook. Big Shot, is one of the finest point guard leaders in the NBA. This implies that the point guard serves as an extension of their coach on the court, and he or she is accountable for making the right plays every night. His Synergy scores are worse than expected, but that appears to be from players just shooting over him more than getting past him. Players Stats: 14.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 8.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG, Honors: 2x MVP, 8x All-Stars, 7x All-NBA Selection, Hall of Famer. -- Peterson, Thomas' willingness to share the spotlight helped make the Bad Boy Pistons incredible, and he had a consistent ability to step up his game in the postseason during Detroit's title runs (and near miss in 1988). Kirk Hinrich wasnt the fastest player in the NBA when he came out of college. Knight gets almost no help whatsoever from help defense. Then, over 10,000 video clips were viewed and players were evaluated based on subjective criteria. 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.