It's time we stop recognizing Chris Paul as a great defensive player

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Contrary to popular belief, Chris Paul is no longer a GREAT defensive player and hasn't been for some time - probably since 2012 - around the same time he moved to LA; dealing with the cumulative effect of his knee injuries and the increasing athleticism/ability [= his decline] at the PG position. No longer is he effective at closing out on players, shadowing them around the halfcourt, cutting off driving lanes and reading and navigating around picks. His defensive value is only in the vein of gambling in passing lanes and directing opponents towards more able defenders (funnelling unnecessarily to DeAndre). His All-NBA Defensive team nod last season was purely based on reputation and not what actually took place on the court -

Despite the Clippers being ranked 13th in points against per shot (0.96 PPP - 50.8%) in 2014/2015, they were near last at contesting shots at a 40.89% rate (Kings and Lakers were the only teams who were worse), which is quite remarkable they actually got away with contesting at such a poor rate, yet still had a good defense since both the Lakers and Kings were ranked in the bottom five for points against per shot. Paul being the main culprit, as he was the WORST among all Clippers' starters at contesting shots - where he ranked 79th in the league among qualifying point guards at a 26.1% rate. He also ranked 77th among PGs in Keep-in-Front% at 29.7 - "Keep-In-Front% tracks a defender’s ability to keep his man in front of him following on-ball screens, during help attempts, on one-on-one drive attempts, and on closeout attempts."

However, a closer look at Paul’s numbers show that it’s not just on-ball screens where the point guard is having trouble keeping his man between him and the basket. His Keep-in-Front Drive% was just 35.9 percent on the season. In comparison, the Boston Celtics’ stalwart young defensive unit of Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley had Keep-in-Front%’s of 53.8 and 50.8, respectively.

The Clippers defensive scheme / DeAndre covered up teams capitalizing on his lack of defense and miscues -

The Clippers had the second-highest Hedge% in the entire league at 22.19 percent. This was an effective screen-defense strategy as the Clippers had the lowest Points Allowed per Screen in the NBA last season at .073. Having the most agile post defender in the game in Jordan obviously is a big reason the Clippers can hedge with such frequency.

Chris Paul Is Leaving Too Many Holes and Too Much Space for the Clippers’ Defense to Shine

Cliffsnotes -

 

[Dig]

NBA bike!!

Iono shyt bout basketball but this shyt still be interesting

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

NBA bike!!

Iono shyt bout basketball but this shyt still be interesting

And right on cue, he's letting Rondo shyt all over him. He's verging on being D'Angelo status @Regular_P

 

[Regular_P]

I didn't find that article very convincing. The two cherry picked clips didn't help. Every player has defensive lapses.

Considering how much CP3 has had to do for the Clips on both ends of the floor, the occasional mental lapse on the defensive end is somewhat understandable. Paul was 5th among all floor generals at 34.8 minutes per game, behind only Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Damian Lillard, and Ty Lawson. CP3 is 30 years old, and the second-oldest player on this list, TY Lawson, turns 28 on November 3.

The above can't be ignored either, especially when Paul's been the only perimeter player on the Clippers who can create any offense for years (miss me with the Jamal Crawford talk).

It's tough to gauge PGs on individual defense because of this too:

In fairness to Paul, in this golden age of point guards, he is constantly being screened, and the Clippers had the second-highest Hedge% in the entire league at 22.19 percent. This was an effective screen-defense strategy as the Clippers had the lowest Points Allowed per Screen in the NBA last season at .073. Having the most agile post defender in the game in Jordan obviously is a big reason the Clippers can hedge with such frequency.

There's no shame in getting cooked by Westbrook in a series either. Certain players, it doesn't matter what you do if they're feeling it. shyt happens.

 

[Taadow]

I'm not sure I ever did...

 

[Regular_P]

And right on cue, he's letting Rondo shyt all over him. He's verging on being D'Angelo status @Regular_P

Definitely not a good start to the season for him. The falloff is gonna come eventually. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him half ass his defensive effort for a large portion of the regular season. He and this team will be judged solely by what happens in the playoffs.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

I didn't find that article very convincing. The two cherry picked clips didn't help. Every player has defensive lapses.

They're not really cherry picked clips, they're examples to back up the statistical data of him failing to contest shots and allowing his opposite to stroll to the rim.

The above can't be ignored either, especially when Paul's been the only perimeter player on the Clippers who can create any offense for years (miss me with the Jamal Crawford talk).

While that may be true, we then can't praise him for his defensive ability as if he still has high impact. Yes he has to deal with a high offensive workload, but that doesn't negative his inabilities on the other end - especially since he's heralded as a great defensive player. I mean even though I don't put much stock in All-NBA Defensive teams - he doesn't deserve to have his name next to the likes of Kawhi and Draymond in 2015. He was named purely on reputation and nothing more. I mean he's still recognized as the best defensive PG by many on this board.

There's no shame in getting cooked by Westbrook in a series either. Certain players, it doesn't matter what you do if they're feeling it. shyt happens.

I just added that clip for lolz.

 

[Thegospel]

fukk cp0

 

[KOBE]

The above can't be ignored either, especially when Paul's been the only perimeter player on the Clippers who can create any offense for years (miss me with the Jamal Crawford talk).

you can miss me with that "only capable player of creating offense stuff"(mind you i know you said "perimeter") because griffin is easily the best playmaking big man in the league and paul doesn't let him cook because he controls the ball the entire shot clock. that ain't effective all the time and clearly limits what griffin is capable of when he's given more control. when paul got hurt two years ago we saw what griffin was doing to teams while running the fast break and creating offense for his teammates, dude is unreal at it in all honesty.

 

[Floyd Pinkerton]

I mean even though I don't put much stock in All-NBA Defensive teams - he doesn't deserve to have his name next to the likes of Kawhi and Draymond in 2015. He was named purely on reputation and nothing more. I mean he's still recognized as the best defensive PG by many on this board.

To be fair, I don't believe there are many defensively sound PGs in the league so it's not like he had to leapfrog more than what...2-3 guys to earn that All-NBA spot.

 

[Regular_P]

They're not really cherry picked clips, they're examples to back up the statistical data of him failing to contest shots and allowing his opposite to stroll to the rim.

While that may be true, we then can't praise him for his defensive ability as if he still has high impact. Yes he has to deal with a high offensive workload, but that doesn't negative his inabilities on the other end - especially since he's heralded as a great defensive player. I mean even though I don't put much stock in All-NBA Defensive teams - he doesn't deserve to have his name next to the likes of Kawhi and Draymond in 2015. He was named purely on reputation and nothing more. I mean he's still recognized as the best defensive PG by many on this board.

I just added that clip for lolz.

Very few do.

Out of the best PGs in the league, he's still probably second to John Wall on the defensive end. Paul may not be consistently elite anymore, but I'd still have faith in him to make a big play/stop in a key moment.

 

[Regular_P]

you can miss me with that "only capable player of creating offense stuff"(mind you i know you said "perimeter") because griffin is easily the best playmaking big man in the league and paul doesn't let him cook because he controls the ball the entire shot clock. that ain't effective all the time and clearly limits what griffin is capable of when he's given more control. when paul got hurt two years ago we saw what griffin was doing to teams while running the fast break and creating offense for his teammates, dude is unreal at it in all honesty.

And guess what, Blake's not an elite defender either. Those two guys have had to create just about everything for the Clippers on offense for years now.

Also, don't forget what Paul did last year when Blake was out for 15 games.

They're both incredible players.

 

[Captain Crunch]

@Gil Scott-Heroin
Where do you get those advanced stats at(contested shots; PPP, etc)?

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

@Gil Scott-Heroin
Where do you get those advanced stats at(contested shots; PPP, etc)?

The ones from the OP are from Vantage sports. I don't have an account with them.

Vantage Sports (@VantageSports) on Twitter - follow them, they're always droppin good shyt.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Very few do.

Out of the best PGs in the league, he's still probably second to John Wall on the defensive end. Paul may not be consistently elite anymore, but I'd still have faith in him to make a big play/stop in a key moment.

Honestly, even Curry is better than Paul on defense now.