Why is Ray Allen not a good defender?

[AintNoSunshine]

Always in shape, decently athletic when young, high BBall intelligence and skilled basketball player.

Would be an ideal 2 guard if he's better defensively, but why isn't he that?

[Nowitness]

Maybe it is just because he is bald?

[navy]

Ray Allen's defense is mad underrated.

[lilteapot]

Did you miss the series clinching steal he made against Brooklyn this year?

[AintNoSunshine]

Did you miss the series clinching steal he made against Brooklyn this year?


Sure, one play makes someone a great defender for this entire career. Fisher must be the GOAT scorer because he made a shot with 0.4 sec left.

[wally_world]

His defense gets overlooked because of what a great shooter he is. In his prime he was definitely a top 10 defensive SG. He wasn't Bruce Bowen, but he's definitely above average.

[JohnFreeman]

He is old

[bdreason]

He was the primary scorer on his team throughout his prime. Not many guards in the history of the sport that could lead their team in scoring and be an elite defender. He never had a reputation as a bad defender AFAIK.

[Dresta]

He was a decent defender when he was younger, but now he's not just a 'not good' defender: he's an atrocious defender. He cannot keep anyone in front of him, and it was pretty painful having to watch him play 25mpg for Miami last season.

[Taller than CP3]

He did a pretty good job defending Kobe in the finals back when he was with the Celtics

[GimmeThat]

because he's not Shane Battier

[Jasper]

Always in shape, decently athletic when young, high BBall intelligence and skilled basketball player.

Would be an ideal 2 guard if he's better defensively, but why isn't he that?
it is called old.....

when he was in milwuakee he was pretty good, but when was in seattle then boston he dialed it up..

lossing a step has something to say for it's self

[tmacattack33]

He was a pretty good defender when he was younger.

And even in Boston he was pretty good. He played some nice defense in the playoffs.

But defense isn't just about being super quick. It's a skill...it requires some type of anticipation. You have to know where the defender is going as soon as possible and then react.

[SuperCereal]

Give him time, he is only 39.

[DaSeba5]

He was a decent defender when he was younger, but now he's not just a 'not good' defender: he's an atrocious defender. He cannot keep anyone in front of him, and it was pretty painful having to watch him play 25mpg for Miami last season.

This.

[GrapeApe]

The man is nearly 40 years old. Young Ray Allen was a solid defender.

[miggyme1]

he was decent in his younger days..i mean he is just old now..players are faster now....u look at the 90's and there were only a few players that had "elite" speed agility now it seems every year now u have at least 10 guys in each draft with crazy speed and agility.

the league has changed into a perimeter dominant game therefore gms want guys like 6'0-6'8 with crazy speed and agility from the pg all the way to the pf so it puts older guards like ray allen at a disadvantage defensively

[stalkerforlife]

Above average defender, IMO.

[Mass Debator]

Yep all those saying "solid" "above-average" are spot on. Never great, but never a liability.

Also I kind of agree with this during his Boston years: "He gets treated like he's Tony Allen + Bruce Bowen with the amount of contact he's allowed to get away with."