Top 5 Greatest defenders (Guard/Forward/Centre)

[LAZERUSS]

The top three...

Russell
Wilt
Thurmond

BTW, the greatest shot-blocker of all-time is clearly Chamberlain. He averaged 5.42 bpg in his LAST season in the league, and at age 36.

[Dr Hawk]

That I have seen play:

Guards:

Kidd, Payton, Kobe (when he tried), Jordan, Stockton

Forwards

Rodman, Pippen, Garnett, Duncan, Bowen

Centers

Ben Wallace, Olajuwon, Mutombo, Howard, Mourning

[Marlo_Stanfield]

pat bevs in the future anyone?

PAtrick beverley is a LOUSY defender who gets burned by elite PGs nearly every time and fouls out of games even tho hes the only player who gets away with handchecking
LeBron is a top 5 Forward defender easily

[sd3035]

Lebron isn't even ranked in the top 100 this year in individual defense. His fanboys claim he plays excellent "team defense"

Yeah, his "team" plays defense while he stands around doing nothing

[HOoopCityJones]

This myth that Kobe doesn't deserve his Defensive selections is Turrible.

You only have a case for the last three years, where he's CLEARLY been on the decline.

[L.Kizzle]

If the center gets 5 spots, split the guards and forwards.

PG:
Frazier
Van Lier
Dennis Johnson
Payton Kidd


SG:
Moncrief
Jordan
Dumars


SF:
Bobby Jones
Michael Cooper
Scottie Pippen
Bowen
Artest

PF:
Gus Johnson
Buck Williams
Rodman
Garnett
Duncan

Center:
Russell
Chamberlain
Thurmand
Olajuwon
Ben Wallace

[brownmamba00]

in no order

Guards:

GP
MJ
Kobe
Moncrief
D-Wade

Forwards:

KG
Rodman
World Peace
Pippen
Bowen/Lbj

Center:

Hakeem
Duncan
Big Ben
Mutombo
Zo/Ewing

Never saw Moncrief play but 2 DPOY's for a guard? says enough

[Andrei89]

People who put Kirby or Lebron for that matter

[Akrazotile]

Bran is def as talented as nearly anyone on D from the small forward position, we've seen him lock down Rose, Parker, Pierce, Servant etc. in the half court, he also is excellent in transition defense and knows how to play good rotation team defense. Hes good in the passing lanes. He even takes both legit charges unlike Kirby, and flops, both of which create turnovers. Seriously, what is his weakness on D?

Shouldnt be held against him that he has major responsibility on offense and cant risk foul trouble by gaurding the opponents best player all game.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Most underrated in these things are mostly Michael Cooper, Bobby Jones and Nate Thurmond.

As far as guards, I would go as far as putting Coop on the top3 most likely.
Looking at the closest to him for SG's: DJ - who spent his best years (and defensive) at SG, so I'll call him one - doesn't have Coop's longevity (overall defensively); Jordan was better off-ball but not quite as good at guarding his man (although MJ had to expend much more on offense, but also Coop couldn't gamble as much on defense, it is what it is, no what-ifs)... There are others who were great but are not quite on the level of Moncrief, Coop, Jordan and DJ, at SG.

And Bobby Jones? Shit, he's underrated and overlooked like crazy. He doesn't have a dpoy to his name - because the award was not awarded in the 70's - so it takes from him, even if he has a 6th man award and 8 all-defensive 1st selections, which is the 2nd best, in only 10 seasons, in a time where you didn't get it for "nothing".
Dude could guard any forward, even some guards and centers, could create to's, protect the paint, draw charges, deny the ball, hustled to the max.. Sort of a mix between Kirilenko and Tayshaun Prince, but better than either, defensively. Imo, he has to be amongst the top5 best defensive forwards.

Thurmond was holding dudes like Kareem or Wilt to their worst. He couldn't play team defense like Russell or Chamberlain but he's most likely the goat post m2m defender and he was a great shot-blocker.

Frazier is really underrated, also.

Never saw Moncrief play but 2 DPOY's for a guard? says enough

Imho, the best defensive guard - and SG of course. Check some of those posts:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=312018