Best Defender in the NBA??

[CURVE]

NBA.com currently have a poll "Who is the Best Defender in NBA?".

Currently it is being lead by Ben Wallace with 31% of the votes followed by:

Gary Payton 23%
Kobe Bryant 17%
Kevin Garnett 11%
Tim Duncan 8%
Bruce Bowen 3%
Other 7%

Who do think is the best defender in the NBA??

 

[Kenny_01]

Garnett.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Gary Payton ahead of Ben Wallace.

Interestingly, when the GM"s where quizzed on this one, 46% went for Payton.

 

[jod23]

The Glove doesnt have that nickname for nothing you know. My vote to him, but the best defensive bigman is Wallace.

6 years ago though the best defenders in the league were Pippen, Jordan and Olajuwon. Those were the days.

 

[coxon]

Originally posted by DEVO
NBA.com currently have a poll "Who is the Best Defender in NBA?".

Currently it is being lead by Ben Wallace with 31% of the votes followed by:

Gary Payton 23%
Kobe Bryant 17%
Kevin Garnett 11%
Tim Duncan 8%
Bruce Bowen 3%
Other 7%

Who do think is the best defender in the NBA??

yeh, i'd say gary payton...

ben wallace.... hmmm... he who was spanked by unknown bigmen in the world championships ?

 

[Dingster]

Surprised Mutombo's name isn't amongst that list. His presence changes a lot of shots. I guess last year wasn't his greatest.

Still, Payton for me too.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Originally posted by Dingster
Surprised Mutombo's name isn't amongst that list.

Very well spotted.

How soon we forget.

 

[mattyc2422]

In the post, Ben Wallace, Mutumbo
Perimeter, Bruce Bowen!

Payton is good, but I still have images of Tony Parker lighting him up in the Playoffs last year.

 

[Dingster]

Originally posted by mattyc2422
Payton is good, but I still have images of Tony Parker lighting him up in the Playoffs last year.

Mark the return game down. Payton will remember and will no doubt be yapping all night. If Parker can do it again, he will have arrived big time.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by mattyc2422
In the post, Ben Wallace, Mutumbo
Perimeter, Bruce Bowen!

Payton is good, but I still have images of Tony Parker lighting him up in the Playoffs last year.

Geez...give Payton a break. Payton is what, 36 now? Parker is all of 21?

You see guys getting by Jordan now and they think they are the ****....when a 22 year old kid can blow by a 40 year old. Let's see them do it when Payton and Jordan were 25 etc...

On that, who are the best defensive players of all time? Best defensive bigman of all time would have to be Bill Russell no doubt. Wilt Chamberlain was also a huge force on D, nothing like Russell though but was still very good.

Hakeem Olajuwon - 2 time Defensive Player of the Year. 5 time All D 1st team. 6th all time in steals, amazing for a center. And of course he is the all time leader in blocked shots (since they were recorded....Russell would be uncatchable had they being recorded back then)

Dikembe Mutombo - 4 time Defensive Player of the Year....a record. 3 time All D 1st team. 6th on the All Time Blocks list but his 3.38 blocks per game is the second highest average of all time.

Dennis Rodman - 2 time Defensive Player of the Year. 7 time All D 1st team! How this guy didnt make the top 50 players of time with his 5 rings and numerous rebounding titles on top of his amazing defensive game is beyond me.

Scottie Pippen - 8 time All D 1st team. 5th on the all time list in steals.

Gary Payton - 1 time Defensive Player of the Year (1 of only 3 guards to ever claim the award) 9th on the all time steals list. 9 times All D 1st team...a record shared with MJ.

Michael Jordan - 1 time Defensive Player of the Year (GP, MJ and Alvin Robertson if anyone is wondering who the 3 guards are to claim the award) 9 time All D first team...a record shared with GP. 2nd on the all time list in steals.

Joe Dumars - only a 2 time All D 1st team and isnt in the top 30 of all time in steals or anything like that. But if you have ever seen the guy play.....wow. One of the best defensive stoppers ive ever seen.

Anyways...they are just a few? Anyone agree...disagree.

 

[CURVE]

Originally posted by jod23


Geez...give Payton a break. Payton is what, 36 now? Parker is all of 21?

You see guys getting by Jordan now and they think they are the ****....when a 22 year old kid can blow by a 40 year old. Let's see them do it when Payton and Jordan were 25 etc...

On that, who are the best defensive players of all time? Best defensive bigman of all time would have to be Bill Russell no doubt. Wilt Chamberlain was also a huge force on D, nothing like Russell though but was still very good.

Hakeem Olajuwon - 2 time Defensive Player of the Year. 5 time All D 1st team. 6th all time in steals, amazing for a center. And of course he is the all time leader in blocked shots (since they were recorded....Russell would be uncatchable had they being recorded back then)

Dikembe Mutombo - 4 time Defensive Player of the Year....a record. 3 time All D 1st team. 6th on the All Time Blocks list but his 3.38 blocks per game is the second highest average of all time.

Dennis Rodman - 2 time Defensive Player of the Year. 7 time All D 1st team! How this guy didnt make the top 50 players of time with his 5 rings and numerous rebounding titles on top of his amazing defensive game is beyond me.

Scottie Pippen - 8 time All D 1st team. 5th on the all time list in steals.

Gary Payton - 1 time Defensive Player of the Year (1 of only 3 guards to ever claim the award) 9th on the all time steals list. 9 times All D 1st team...a record shared with MJ.

Michael Jordan - 1 time Defensive Player of the Year (GP, MJ and Alvin Robertson if anyone is wondering who the 3 guards are to claim the award) 9 time All D first team...a record shared with GP. 2nd on the all time list in steals.

Joe Dumars - only a 2 time All D 1st team and isnt in the top 30 of all time in steals or anything like that. But if you have ever seen the guy play.....wow. One of the best defensive stoppers ive ever seen.

Anyways...they are just a few? Anyone agree...disagree.

Everybody underestimates Wilts defensive prowess, simply because he was the most dynamic offensive weapon in History, but Harvey Pollack (Philadelphia Statastican and 2002 Hall of Famer Inductee) in the early sixties compiled Wilt's Shot Blocks and over a 3 or 4 game period averaged 25 blocks a game.

25 Blocks a game

Thats insane. Even over such a short period as a week. Russell is without a doubt the greatest defender in History, but Wilt is up there as well. As for the remainder of list Jod, I agree with everyone, although the lack of Lakers is a little troubling, so I have to include Michael Cooper who was defensive player of the year in 1987.

As for the NBA.com list, I'd go for Payton.

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by DEVO



Everybody underestimates Wilts defensive prowess, simply because he was the most dynamic offensive weapon in History, but Harvey Pollack (Philadelphia Statastican and 2002 Hall of Famer Inductee) in the early sixties compiled Wilt's Shot Blocks and over a 3 or 4 game period averaged 25 blocks a game.

25 Blocks a game

Thats insane. Even over such a short period as a week. Russell is without a doubt the greatest defender in History, but Wilt is up there as well. As for the remainder of list Jod, I agree with everyone, although the lack of Lakers is a little troubling, so I have to include Michael Cooper who was defensive player of the year in 1987.

As for the NBA.com list, I'd go for Payton.

I gave Wilt his due....he certainly was a force and if Wilt was rumored to be blocking 25 shots a game....imagine how many Russell was getting!!!!

I was gonna add Cooper. He was the cornerstone of the Lakers D in the 80's but it was getting late so i left him off the list. Cant believe you actually agree with them all

 

[mattyc2422]

Originally posted by jod23
Geez...give Payton a break. Payton is what, 36 now? Parker is all of 21?

I never said he wasn't good in his day, but currently he isn't one of the best defenders in the league.
Very good, no doubt. All star worthy, probably. He didn't earn the nickname for nothing, as said, but you were right, age is affecting him.

Hall of Fame? For sure

 

[jod23]

Originally posted by mattyc2422

I never said he wasn't good in his day, but currently he isn't one of the best defenders in the league.
Very good, no doubt. All star worthy, probably. He didn't earn the nickname for nothing, as said, but you were right, age is affecting him.

Hall of Fame? For sure

Well he was All Defensive 1st team last season...so apparently he is still currently one of the best defenders in the league.