He tends to be beaten off the dribble more often than he should be, considering his physical advantages, but he also uses his physical ability to recover when he is beaten. But what kind of suit was he wearing on the last episode? He yields a whopping 41.5 three-point percentage on the spot-up, which is just not good. But hes slightly built, and that raises some issues, especially when hes caught a fraction of a second behind a play. He doesnt just bring effort to every game; he brings it in all the right ways. On the flip side, Westbrook's 4.13 turnovers per game average is the highest all-time, with Johnson (3. . Still, Nash's greatest historical legacy will be paving the way for Stephen Curry and a new generation of point guards in a league that embraced point guards making plays with a wide-open court. Norris Coles individual numbers are all better than Chalmers, but he gets docked with lower team numbers. 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. An All-Star in every full season that he played for the Boston Celtics, six-time NBA champion Bob Cousy was an all-around player. In addition to the traditional role of the point guard, modern teams have found new ways to utilize the position. 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. When we watch basketball, we get general impressions of defense, but the storyline is whats happening with the ball. The house would collapse. Honors: 7x All-Star, 3x All-NBA Selection, 1966-1967 Rookie of the Year, 1967-1968 Scoring Champion, Hall of Famer. Even though injuries caught up with him toward the end of his illustrious career, Bryant still battled as a defender when needed. Therefore, a lower score is superior. 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. 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 His net defensive rating of 4.2 is an indication of both a lack of his helping and asking for help. Championships: 3. Mike Conley is exceptionally quick, virtually teleporting himself from one part of the court to another at times. His MVP season, he had the second-best block total by a point guard in history (although John Wall exceeded that total last year.). What he offers goes beyond the court. 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. He probably can even tell you where the hot dog vendor and mascot are. Because of his combination of length, speed and jumping ability, Rose has become an excellent team defender against the jump shot. At the point guard position, point guard Damian Lillard is one of the games most talented shooters and scorers. Hes led the league in steals per game five times in the last six years. Many consider Bob Cousy to be a passionate athlete who was the first All-Star and dominating player for the Boston Celtics squad that included legends like Bill Russell and Kevin Collier. He doesnt put a lot of effort into chasing his man through screens. To read more, go here! Sixth-greatest point guard in basketball history. He could be better than he is, but its hard to blame only him. He may get beaten occasionally, and he might get outmuscled more frequently, but he never gets outhustled. 1987 Lakers are often seen as one of the greatest teams ever. Bledsoe just doesnt bring much energy to the defensive side of the court, which is a shame, because if he did, hed be a ball hawk. Most players will take a little on-court breather now and then. The only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, Payton was a defensive nightmare and he never had a DWS lower than 1.2 during his 17-year career. Paul gets caught in a trap that WAM cant entirely avoid because it can only look at what happens, not why it happens. On Detroits 2004 NBA championship squad, he led the likes of Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace and Rasheed Wallace to victory over the LA Lakers superteam. Think: Dennis Rodman. You can almost rate Chalmers improving basketball intelligence by how many times per game he gets yelled at by his superstar teammates. When he applies it, he does so effectively, especially in isolation and the pick-and-roll. 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. He works well within a system where there are no real defensive weaknesses. Other defenders deficiencies are hidden by being put on weaker offensive players. In the history of the combine, only nine players have recorded better sprint and agility scores, and of those, only three had a better vertical than his 37.5 inches. Gary Payton is one of the best ever. He does all those little things that dont show up in box scores. A point guard will often use their ability to score in order to augment their effectiveness as a decision-maker and playmaker. On the other hand, he was frequently bailing out whoever was playing shooting guard on numerous occasions. When he lets it go, though, it seems calculated. Jason Kidd was the definition of a jack-of-all-trades point guard: he could pass, score and grab rebounds. How they moved laterally, closed out on shooters, and recovered after getting beaten were also taken into account. 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. Interpreted as: best point guard defensive rating with a minimum of 2000 minutes played per 82 team games 2022 There arent many point guards in the league who can match Roses pure size and strength. Its like someone took a normal-sized person and stretched out the arms and hands to make him. You just dont see him make the wrong plays. The average score by point guards was 16.1. The NBA is a point guard's paradise these days, so let's start All-Time #NBArank with our pantheon points. Thats 20th all-time, with Kidd being the only other guard above him. That said, here are the NBAs five best defensive shooting guards of all-time, based on their DWS. Hes like a runner trying to run a mile by alternating between walking and sprinting 100 yards at a time. On the other hand, hes not tremendously athletic. 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. The American former professional basketball player was born on August 9, 1928, and played point guard for the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1963 and shortly for the Cincinnati Royals during the 196970 season. He applies his energy smartly. There are times where he makes a bone-headed gamble and loses, trying to get the extra steal, but thats about the only flaw there is with him mentally. David Robinson 6. -- Haberstroh, Honors He was a 13-time NBA All-Star during the early half of the Celtics dynasty, winning six NBA championships during his 13-year tenure with the team. Point guard - Wikipedia Even when picks are set behind his back, he instinctively knows they are there and just steps over them seamlessly. Considering his challenges with speed, he did reasonably well with the pick-and-roll, again because of his size and strength to fight through picks. 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. 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. Bob Cousey 8. NBA: Ranking top 10 point guards ever - ESPN.com That said, here are the five best defensive NBA point guards of all time, based on their DWS. First, a range of 18 to 22 makes it easier to arrive at the eventual score of 100the baseline everything was weighted to. Hopefully he can break it. Chris Paul had the awkward situation this year of being smarter than his head coach, Vinny Del Negro. Even players like Derek Fisher will hang him up and then hit him with the step-back. What are you crying about lmfao 03 Mar 2023 00:55:09 Thats good for 14th all-time in NBA history and he also had 10 seasons in the top 20 for steals per game. NBA: Ranking top 10 shooting guards ever - ESPN.com Two NBA titles and a Finals MVP award make him one of the all-time great point guards because of his ability to score from mid-range and his propensity to attack and finish at the rim. Since I always get asked "Where's ___________?" 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. The true driving force of his partnership with Karl Malone. Furthermore, he is a legend for the Phoenix Suns and one of the teams finest players. Players Stats: 16.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG. Thomas was ultra-quick with the ball and, at any moment, could pull up for a deadly jump shot. Players like Rose, Russell Westbrook and Kyrie Irving consistently cross him over and get past him. That all-around game made Kidd one of the league's top point guards for nearly 20 years. The only thing keeping Thomas off this list is his brief career by star standards. 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 They work harder, and they get things eventually, but not quite as well. Who's the best defensive point guard of all time? - Quora -- Peterson. That would make sense, but there are two reasons to choose the unconventional scale. He was a master at leading the fastbreak, which led to Celtics titles. 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. 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 he gets set for a defensive play, he does a respectable job. Went from dominating games strictly with his passing to making the fifth-most 3-pointers in NBA history. That has more to do with the second-string frontcourt, led by Lamar Odom, backing him up than it does his team defense. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? Some will just hang around waiting for the play to end, but Jack keeps track of his man and also helps if its needed. Humility can often be a sign of intelligence at work, and it is with Hinrich. Best Point Guard Defensive Rating 2022 | StatMuse 1. He doesnt disrupt team defense with unnecessary gambles. Over 90 percent of the time, the ball-handler gets by him. To absolutely nobodys surprise, Michael Jordan is the best defensive shooting guard in NBA history. All rights reserved. He is suitable at keeping most players out on the perimeter, but against elite point guards he has more problems. While Gregg Popovich and his brilliant system deserve a lot of the credit, Tony is a Finals MVP and is a multiple NBA champion who deserves to be recognised for his role in the legendary Spurs dynasty. Los Angeles Lakers (1979-91, 1995-96), Honors 2. Players Stats: 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG. Offense is so much more than just scoring. The effect was that the Bulls' starters all looked inferior to their backups. As a result, hes 17th all-time with 1944 and had six seasons in the top-20 in steals. He applies every bit of failing athleticism he has all the time. Point guards are often valued more for their assist totals than for their scoring. However, who are the all-time top point guards? Dennis Johnson. There is no doubt about it: Steph Curry is the second-best in the top 10 point guards of all time. Meanwhile, another player has his numbers go up because he is capable. A decade of playing and a plethora of injuries havent helped him get any faster. 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. Knight doesnt always recognize the help situations, but when he does, he is usually effective. Rushmore of greatest postseason performances in league history. 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. Opponents dont have much success getting around him. Thats the difference between what I call work intelligence and natural intelligence. Some people just have to work to pick things up. He wont even try and fight over a pick if he gets caught in one, but just quits on the play. He uses his length well when trying to close out on jumpers, utilizing all of his elevation and his full length. Perhaps if hes in shoes and standing on a milk crate filled with milk, thats true. That makes him eligible for inclusion on this list of best point guards. In the NBA, Isiah Thomas is an amazing leader and is truly the most competitive force on the court that we have seen from a tiny guy. Cincinnati Royals (1960-70), Milwaukee Bucks (1970-74), Honors Rose had it all, including speed, explosiveness, and the ability to score when it mattered most. However, the other side of the ball cant be overlooked because as the saying goes: defense wins championships.. In other words, giving up 15 points to Russell Westbrook is much more impressive than giving up 14 to Derek Fisher, but the raw stats dont tell you who was guarding whom. Yet somehow he manages to compensate and do a reasonably fair job of defending, even in isolation. With Doc Rivers in charge, things should turn around shortly, and next year his WAM score will be among the best in the league. Hes so undersized, youd think he was just some regular guy. How hard do they fight through them? Damian Lillard (2013-Present) AP Images. He just doesnt have the length to effectively guard against them. He does those things; he just doesnt do them very hard. It tracks the production of a players counterpart while he is on the court. Hall of Famer was an impressive defensive player in his own right. Curry has developed into much more than a 3-point specialist. Bledsoes defensive numbers would be far worse if he werent getting helped out by Odom all the time. With the increased emphasis on the deep three, point guards account for a large portion of the league's top scorers. 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. The second-highest regulation scoring output of the 3-point era was the culmination . He led the league in total steals this year and did so without playing a lot of gambling defense. Parker is a seasoned point guard who plays the game like a pro. 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. Despite the fact that hes just 35, he has a limited amount of time left. Two-time MVP (2004-05, 2005-06), eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, Career stats Lillard, on the other hand, is generally able to get things going from the perimeter anytime he wants. He is a natural playmaker with excellent point guard abilities, creating the ideal point guard prototype. -- Doolittle, Over the past season and a half, Curry has played point guard as well as anyone else in NBA history. His 47.4 DWS is 54th overall, good for an average of 2.963 DWS per season, slightly edging Wade. 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. Ranked: Top 25 male fitness influencers to follow in 2023, Howe dodges row over Newcastle's Saudi ownership, Former Chelsea boss spotted in Munich with his new lover, Bam Adebayo makes bold claim about the last two DPOY awards, Gary Neville ignites debate after stating ideal price for holding midfielder, Huge Ballon dOr scandal as player claims his votes were changed to Lionel Messi. Pauls been an All-Defensive Team selection nine times, being selected to the 1st team seven times and the 2nd team twice. The greatest point guard in NBA history. With the increased emphasis on the deep three, point guards account for a large portion of the league's top scorers. Their primary job is to facilitate scoring opportunities for their team, or sometimes for themselves. If hes on the court, hes moving at full speed. Johnson had a knack for scoring against everyone and racked up impressive numbers throughout the course of his career. 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. This article first appeared on Sportsnaut and was syndicated with permission. New York Knicks (1967-1977), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-1980), Honors: -- Kevin Pelton, Teams However, when the game is on the line, he makes the right decision. He has the most assists and steals of any player in NBA history and is a master of the pick & roll. Players Stats: 14.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG, Honors: 1978-1979 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 9x All-Defense Selection, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, Hall of Famer. This is also from the various sources we have used. At 61 and 171 pounds, Rondo is pretty small by NBA standards, but he plays much tougher than his size. One of the greatest rebounding guards of all time. Even point guards who are not given this much freedom, however, are still extensions of their coach on the floor and must display good leadership skills. Aside from his offensive prowess, Johnson had the ability to hit for power and lead the offense at a high level. In recent years, the sport's shift from a fundamental style of play to a more athletic, scoring-oriented game resulted in the proliferation of so-called combo guards at the point guard position. Many times, the point guard is referred to by announcers, as a "coach on the floor" or a "floor general".