Defense is one of the more oft-overlooked aspects of basketball because it isnt as pretty as what happens on the offensive end. Honors: 1978-1979 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 9x All-Defense Selection, 2x All-NBA Team Selection, Hall of Famer. Golden State Warriors (2009-present), Honors 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. Paradoxically tough on the court and flashy off of it, Frazier epitomized the '70s-era backcourt style in which roles were less defined. If youre a fan of the TV show Suits, you might agree that Harvey Specter dresses well. Lin is a mixed bag when it comes to help defense. Synergy tracks every play of every game of the season and, when possible (as it is not always possible), they assign an initial defender on a play. I counted off over 20 plays, specifically watching to see if Chalmers would stop the ball-handler, and he only did once. See the criteria for scouting on the next slide. However, despite Chris Paul and Jason Kidds prominence, Steve Nash became a two-time MVP who had no weaknesses on the offensive end. Speed is important; a speedy point guard is better able to create separation and space off the dribble, giving themselves room to work. As previously discussed, it is true that purely objective analysis does not, and cannot, tell the whole story, especially when it comes to something as dynamic as defense. It would be beneficial for Westbrook to even things out and play at a consistent level throughout the game. Lowry is neither big nor strong, and he does little with what size he has. 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. 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? However his brilliant and consistent team defense team keeps passing lanes secure and helps prevent a lot of plays from developing the way they normally would. But mostly he plays smartly with an occasional brain fart. They have value when there arent such extremes like the difference between Boozer and Gibson. Above all, the point guard must understand and accept their coach's game plan; in this way, the position can be compared to a quarterback in American football. He lacks the strength to effectively go over screens consistently, so he has to go under them. His 48.8 DWS is 48th all-time and the fourth most by a point guard. He has the most assists and steals of any player in NBA history and is a master of the pick & roll. Williams needs to do a better job of forcing opponents out of the middle and into the strong side of his defense, but he tends to fall straight back instead, letting them into the lane, which allows for easy scores. And his athleticism gives him a leg up, which helps him dominate. Just telling your players to play harder and close out on threes isnt a real system. 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 He probably can even tell you where the hot dog vendor and mascot are. 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: he averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds per game. The Glove was a nine-time All-Defensive Team selection, making the 1st team all nine times. He does those things; he just doesnt do them very hard. Not to mention that he is an elite finisher around the rim, shooting 61.5 per cent on 5-foot attempts. The number in the parentheses indicates where they ranked in that category. That has more to do with the second-string frontcourt, led by Lamar Odom, backing him up than it does his team defense. Even players like Derek Fisher will hang him up and then hit him with the step-back. Hes only 63, which is relatively good size for a point guard, but he just seems bigger. Magic Johnson won the National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player Award three times in his career. If you are a basketball freak, you might be interested in knowing about NBA and other Best Basketball Leagues in the World. He is going to get beaten, without question. Strictly speaking, he should have a score closer to 20, but because of all the help he is in the locker room and practice, he gets a little leeway. Anyways, we hope you enjoyed going through the rankings with Magic Johnson securing first place in the Top 10 NBA point guards of all time. (I know, but it is a part of defense these days.) One of basketballs most dynamic and versatile point guards in the modern era. Mike Conley is exceptionally quick, virtually teleporting himself from one part of the court to another at times. But what kind of suit was he wearing on the last episode? He might have Silly Putty for a father. He led the league in total steals this year and did so without playing a lot of gambling defense. No question hell be inducted into the Hall of Fame, and hes one of the greatest rim-attacking players in NBA history. "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. It doesnt help to be fast if you dont use it, so Bledsoes score here is lower than you might expect. But hes slightly built, and that raises some issues, especially when hes caught a fraction of a second behind a play. Seriously, you should hear Mark Jackson rave about him. Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection, Hall of Fame, Career stats To create All-Time #NBArank, we put together a ballot with the 150 greatest players ever. Paul is just listed at just 60, and that might be generous. He doesnt play on the ball physically, utilizing that advantage. Nate Archibald 14. Dallas Mavericks (1994-96, 2008-12), Phoenix Suns (1996-2001), New Jersey Nets (2001-08), New York Knicks (2012-13), Honors At 5ft 3in (1.60m) the shortest player in NBA history, Muggsy Bogues enjoyed 889 games in a 14-year career as a point guard. 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 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. Several sites track this, each in its slightly unique way, depending on its formula to calculate possessions. When he gets set for a defensive play, he does a respectable job. The greater problem is how easily he gets disrupted on pick-and-roll defense. He didnt have an eye-popping number, but he was in the top 25 percent of players there. His MVP season, he had the second-best block total by a point guard in history (although John Wall exceeded that total last year.). After the All-Star break, when Rose hardly played, that number fell to 17.8 and the Bulls dropped to ninth. They work harder, and they get things eventually, but not quite as well. [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. A point guard should know when and how to instigate a fast break and when and how to initiate the more deliberate sets. What color was his tie? When he lets it go, though, it seems calculated. In addition, Cousy, dubbed "The Houdini of the Hardwood," led the NBA in assists for 8 straight seasons, creating a whole new blend of ball-handling and passing skills for the league. Hes just over 60" without shoes but has a wingspan of 67.5. Only four players in the history of the combine are as short or shorter and have at least that kind of reach. He lifted the Lakers, and transition basketball, to ethereal levels. He finished the game with the most career postseason points and the highest average in a playoff series. Defensive Rating (DRtg) is the average number of points per 100 possessions a players team surrenders while he is on the court. The Cleveland Cavaliers relied heavily on Kyrie Irving to take and hit huge shots, even when he was partnered with LeBron James. He literally may be the least athletic guard in the Association. If you want the perfect picture of what Hinrich brings to the defensive end of the court, think of him tackling the runaway freight train, otherwise known as LeBron James, in the game which stopped the Miami Heats streak. Rushmore of greatest postseason performances in league history. Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard, two of the better perimeter defenders in the league, often take up the responsibility for guarding the best point guards. He spent his entire NBA career (19842003) as a point guard for the Utah Jazz, and the team made the playoffs in each of his 19 seasons. This mans achievements are indisputable, and the prospect of him winning a second NBA championship just adds to his greatness. We have listed down 25 of the finest point guards, so lets see who makes it to the top 10 point guards of all time. You can be the best shooter in the world, but you can't score if you don't get the ball. Even though he normally does, he shouldnt have to and wouldnt if he were playing smarter. -- 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. Then there was that kid who just read the assignment on the bus and got straight As. Neither of those is really a criticism of Parker, but its a reality. One of the great conundrums in rating defense is that teammates factor into it. Whatever else you want to say about Brandon Knight, just dont say he never tries. His Synergy scores are worse than expected, but that appears to be from players just shooting over him more than getting past him. Thats largely true. Point guards must be able to maintain possession of the ball in crowded spaces and in traffic and be able to advance the ball quickly. Either way he chases the ball until he catches it. OPER is the Opponents Player Efficiency Rating and has been tracked by 82games.com since 2008. For eight consecutive seasons, Cousy was the leagues top assist producer, and he was also one of the finest scorers in the league. He could be better than he is, but its hard to blame only him. -- Adande, Possessed incredible court vision and creativity, all while orchestrating the frenetic game pace of his era. No one was a better passer than him. 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. David Robinson 6. Eight-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA selection, seven-time All-D selection, Rookie of the Year (2005-06), Career stats Even though Payton only played a little part in 2006, the Heats success would not have been possible without his defensive presence and leadership. Chris Paul fell into the same kind of trap last season. For all the hammering Im doing on Chalmers, it remains true that the Heat are better with him on the court than off of it, but its questionable if thats because hes on it. However, hes not the slowest point guard in the league either, and when hes not biting on the crossovers, hes able to do a decent job of staying in front of most average point guards. His huge hands allowed him to pass as effectively with one hand as most could with two. The debate over whether it should have been a flagrant is mootclearly that got into James head because he was talking about it after the game. 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. Sixth-greatest point guard in basketball history. But Gary Payton did as a member of the Seattle Supersonics. Aside from the centre, having the best point guard is critical to improving your game because every play starts with him. Notably, several modern point guards have used a successful style of post play, a tactic usually practiced by much larger centers and forwards. He fights through picks, going over them when he can and under them when he cant. Thats rarely going to be because of a mental error, though. A defensive point guard will also pressure opponents in passing lanes in an attempt to generate steals and scoring opportunities for their own team. Occasionally hell chase the play after hes been beaten, but not always. How they moved laterally, closed out on shooters, and recovered after getting beaten were also taken into account. Im cheating a little here. Isiah Thomas, born on April 30, 1961, and possibly the best player ever under 6-foot-1, combined talent with fierce competitiveness. Despite the fact that he was unable to win an NBA championship, his charisma and dribbling prowess will never be forgotten. It also helps him to have the second-most defensive plays per 36 minutes of any of the point guards on this list. On the other hand, you cant deny what happened, regardless of how much you watch. 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. A 12-time All-Defensive Team selection, a nine-time 1st team All-Defense and three-time 2nd team All-Defense, Bryant's 50.6 DWS ranks him 43rd overall. Now hes in Phoenix, and well see how both he and Jeff Hornacek develop in their new roles. He tends to do the right thing, but then hell do something kind of stupid that makes you wonder what hes thinkingeven if what hes thinking is right.