'Draymond's the greatest defender in NBA history' - ex-NBA player who played with Bill Russell

[Bigblackted4]

Garnett may be the most comparable, but Olajuwon and Wallace's defensive reputations were built almost entirely on rim protection. Whether its defending the post, or coming in as a help defender. Draymond is p


I gotta know your process of sampling and determining defensive errors. Not sayin that in a negative way, its just interesting.

I think KG is more comparable because of his versatility. Draymond isn't the shot blocker that Olajuwon and Wallace were, but at the same time, bigs didn't really switch onto guards as often as they do now. Its much more of a strategy to get a guard matched up on a big to create space to get to the rim past a shot blocker vs. into one... or have them back up and give them space to shoot. That type of strategy plays into Draymonds strengths. It also helps that the Warriors style of play prevents them from being affected by good post play.

It’s not my style but he picks 10 random games and watches two quarters and charts errors and good plays. It’s random because he doesn’t account for specific time or stakes just how well a player generally plays.

It’s really hard to compare eras though and if you said he’s the best of this decade i can agree. Not the best of the modern era.

Also Green has benefitted from playing with some great defenders around him. Klay, Durant, Iggy, Bogut etc.

 

[blackzeus]

Not even better than kawhi defensively

I would take Capela over him right now.

 

[JesusFOREVER]

How in the hell are you from Saginaw, yet shytting on my thread about Draymond?

Draymond a native and a beast of a defender but GOAT defender is a bit too far, plus he played for the Spartans

 

[threattonature]

While Draymond does absolutely amazing things on defense I think the team's scheme does a lot to help him shine. If they play against a great big the Warriors do either a lot of fronting or zoning up in front of the big with Draymond behind them. So even when bigs don't kill them a large part of it is due to team defense and their ability to switch and rotate in perfect sync with each other. I also don't think Draymond is a dominant enough of a rebounder. The underrated reason Cleveland was even able to play it close with Golden State was Tristan Thompson killing them on the boards. Plus I think Draymond gets bonus points in a lot of people's eyes for being undersized.

But with that said Draymond is a wizard at rotating and cutting off driving lanes and picking up help defense. He does a great job at providing rim protection in their small ball lineups and having the versatility to switch out on to guards. He's a beast but crazy IMO to call him the greatest. Just amongst recent players I'd have KG over him.

 

[smitty22]

Draymond a great defender but Havlicek stole the fukking ball :Umadatus:

 

[Jesus]

I'd take prime Shane Battier over him as a 1-5 defender...even though it's a reach that Dray or any undersized is guarding a Center for a whole game. Hell prime Shawn Marion. Plus they are better shooters.

 

[Originalman]

Ben Wallace? He was a post enforcer but not as versatile as KG. Hakeem was great but you couldn't really switch him onto a guard.

KG was the prototype modern NBA defender - lengthy, fast laterally, able to guard on the perimeter. He was more effective against all star perimeter players than all star post players, however.

I'm not sure how you measure the greatness of a defender. Draymond is a remarkably flexible player on defense and is built for the modern era.

Yes but there have been defensive and offensive rule changes to discourage post play over the last 8 to 10 years (even more so the last 6 years) When Garnett (in his younger days and prime) played post defense you weren't allowed to ride post players out into the perimeter as you can now. Also post players were allowed to be much more physical....one of the man reasons teams switch so much now. Teams almost never go after a midget on a big because it is normally an instant offensive foul on the big which was not called in the past.

 

[Waterproof]

This is the way I think of why Draymond is a great defender, in sports when you have a great defender with a great defensive mind, you let him Roam and do his thing.

Willie Mays, Ken Griffery Jr great defensive players in the outfield that had range and free will to cover the whole outfield

Ed Reed, Ronnie Lott great defensive minds and defenders that have range and The free will to do what they do

Same with Draymond Green, he's a great defender, great defensive mind that's why he can play freely, he earned that.

Steve Kerr said this yesterday, Draymond is a Hall Of Famer, he's a great defensive player

 

[Originalman]

Yeah Duncan from day one until retirement was DPOY-level every minute he was on the floor.

Dat longevity.

Breh I will never forget how mark jackson would cook guards and SFs in the post. So much so that Phil Jackson would have PIppen guard him when Jackson was in indiana.

Anyway when Duncan was young I remember pop putting him on jackson in the 4th quarter cause he was eating up spur guards. Yes Pop put Duncan on him....

That was how good a defender duncan was.

 

[afterlife2009]

 

[Waterproof]

 

[Zyne]

I'd take prime Shane Battier over him as a 1-5 defender...even though it's a reach that Dray or any undersized is guarding a Center for a whole game. Hell prime Shawn Marion. Plus they are better shooters.

 

[Boonapalist]

Breh I will never forget how mark jackson would cook guards and SFs in the post. So much so that Phil Jackson would have PIppen guard him when Jackson was in indiana.

Anyway when Duncan was young I remember pop putting him on jackson in the 4th quarter cause he was eating up spur guards. Yes Pop put Duncan on him....

That was how good a defender duncan was.

Duncan even guarded Kidd a couple of times in the first round in 98. I think that injury he suffered in 00 really robbed him of a lot of his athleticism and mobility.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

As good as Draymond is, he has benefited from being on the Warriors, a legendary team. for that reason we cant be too hesitant to overrate him. if this Warriors team had prime Philly Iggy, he'd be viewed in the same light as Pippen. I do think Draymond is the most versatile in the game today though.

Every single player that's ever been on an all-time great team benefits from being on a..... all-time great team; legacy, public opinion/image, accolades etc. Putting his offensive game into perspective (being surrounded by 2-3 of the best offensive players of this generation) is not only fine, but it's needed, because he's only a complementary piece to them, not a main option, and benefits greatly from the attention they receive, allowing him to operate with more room to either shoot or facilitate, more than he would on most teams.

However, that's only one end of the floor, on the other end - as much as Curry's the system on offense, Draymond is the system on defense. Everything exists and functions because of them. Nobody, nobody, in the history of the league has ever had as much influence on that end as him. Nobody has had the same amount of defensive duties. Nobody has guarded 1-5 as often as he does (sometimes guarding all FIVE positions on the same damn play). Nobody has had more control over the orchestration and movement of one's teammates on that end.

I've said this before, and I know a lot of folks think I'm hyperbolizing - this team has won more games over a 3-4 season stretch than any team in NBA history, for two main reasons, one being that Curry has more offensive impact than any other player in history, and the other - Draymond having more defensive impact than any other player in history. The impact they both have is the equivalent of having an extra player on the floor at both ends. The basketball public is yet to catch up on that for obvious reasons.

 

[surv2syn]

Every single player that's ever been on an all-time great team benefits from being on a..... all-time great team; legacy, public opinion/image, accolades etc. Putting his offensive game into perspective (being surrounded by 2-3 of the best offensive players of this generation) is not only fine, but it's needed, because he's only a complementary piece to them, not a main option, and benefits greatly from the attention they receive, allowing him to operate with more room to either shoot or facilitate, more than he would on most teams.

However, that's only one end of the floor, on the other end - as much as Curry's the system on offense, Draymond is the system on defense. Everything exists and functions because of them. Nobody, nobody, in the history of the league has ever had as much influence on that end as him. Nobody has had the same amount of defensive duties. Nobody has guarded 1-5 as often as he does (sometimes guarding all FIVE positions on the same damn play). Nobody has had more control over the orchestration and movement of one's teammates on that end.

I've said this before, and I know a lot of folks think I'm hyperbolizing - this team has won more games over a 3-4 season stretch than any team in NBA history, for two main reasons, one being that Curry has more offensive impact than any other player in history, and the other - Draymond having more defensive impact than any other player in history. The impact they both have is the equivalent of having an extra player on the floor at both ends. The basketball public is yet to catch up on that for obvious reasons.

I agree to an extent. when I say overrate, I am referencing the GOAT. there have been so many players, I have to think about that one. I just think that if prime Iggy were on this team (even past prime was a Finals MVP) he would be viewed as a legendary defender. Draymond is a great player but also in the right place at the right time. He is the most versatile great defender out there. Iggy couldnt guard bigs. Neither could Scottie. at least not to the effectiveness that Dray does.

and dont get me wrong, I am one of Draymonds biggest supporters. I think he is an elite role player which sometimes is better than very good number one or two option. if you put Draymond on the worst teams in the league, you wont be able to measure his impact. If you put him on the best teams...they could win it all. I say here all the time. If you take away KD, the Warriors can still win it all. If you take away Klay they probably could as well. If you take away either Curry or Draymond, just one of them....I dont think they can do it. Also, Draymond may be the single most IMPORTANT player on this team. Its the fact that he is an elite defender AND passer. Put him on Cavs or Raps, or Hou and they all go to another level. People clown him because he isnt a scorer like that. That really is a lazy analysis and doesnt show his total impact.