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

[Bledswole]

Of course he could guard Iverson. Draymond's arguably the best ISO defender in the league.

Get off the heroin @Gil Scott-Heroin

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

I don't see how folk are askng why didn't Draymond guard LeBron. It's the same/similar reason KG/Duncan were never the primary defenders on LeBron. It's the same/similar reason why every big man anchor doesn't defend LeBron. Are we forgetting how many roles Draymond has on the defensive end that puts the Warriors in position of having an elite defense:

Guarding the low/high post - against legit big men
Anchoring the paint/defense (communicating where every player needs to be)
Providing help defense all over the floor
Protecting the rim
Switching onto positions 1-5, ball handlers and covering up defensive miscues
Shutting down the PNR/PNR and all activity around screens/pindowns
Guarding stretch bigs and post bigs
Able to defend every shot in any situation possible
Crashing the glass, boxing out big men

Dudes want Draymond to forego all of those roles and just simply have him guard one player. Imagine just how less effective the Warriors defense would be if all he did was guard one player. It's the equivalent of having a freak and the only sexual activity y'all doing is missionary with your clothes on.

 

[Woodrow]

That's a good comparison, and while there's only a margin of difference through most of their defensive abilities, early-90s Rodman wasn't anywhere near the rim protector/defensive anchor that Draymond is. Draymond's basically one of a very, very few players who's elite at everything on the defensive end, in the modern era.

He never specifically said that he was better than Russell, because he acknowledged that it's hard to compare players from different eras. Just that at the very minimum he has turned into one of the greatest defenders - which to anybody that's been paying attention would see that it's not a stretch at all.

rodman wasn't a great rim protector. and you could argue that defensively he had two separate windows: first as a perimeter defender, then when he filled out, as a post defender. but he was elite in both areas. i just dont see how dray is already a better, more accomplished defender than a two-time defensive player of the year.

more versatile? sure.

but rodman was an amazing, all-time defensive presence in his own right. he maintained that level for a long, long career. how many ppl you know started their career guarding the greatest player of all-time (MJ), and ended it defending one of the greatest post players ever (Shaq). and proved capable at both?

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Breh I think draymond is a legendary defender

But if he can guard iverson

Why the fukk would he watch kyrie AND lebron dropping 40 and guard neither of them?

Because there's nobody else to fulfill all his defensive roles. On the shots he guarded of LeBron in '15 Finals (I believe 2nd most behind Iggy) - he kept LeBron to around 33-35% shooting - don't quote me on that though (I've posted the figures before). But again like I said, you can't have him just guarding one player. It would completely underutilize his impact/skillset.

 

[Rigby.]

Of course he could guard Iverson. Draymond's arguably the best ISO defender in the league.

Why didn't he defend Cleveland's Iso Ball, and specifically when LeBron took over then?
Kyrie was doing damn near prime Iverson things out there game 5 dolo, but I didn't see Draymond stopping him
1-5 eh?

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Of course he could guard Iverson. Draymond's arguably the best ISO defender in the league.

Get off the heroin @Gil Scott-Heroin

Last season -

Probably best for you to stay outta the thread when grown folks is talking.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Why didn't he defend Cleveland's Iso Ball, and specifically when LeBron took over then?
Kyrie was doing damn near prime Iverson things out there game 5 dolo, but I didn't see Draymond stopping him
1-5 eh?

See -

I don't see how folk are askng why didn't Draymond guard LeBron. It's the same/similar reason Duncan was never the primary defender on LeBron. It's the same/similar reason why every big man anchor doesn't defend LeBron. Are we forgetting how many roles Draymond has on the defensive end that puts the Warriors in position of having an elite defense:

Guarding the low/high post - against legit big men
Anchoring the paint/defense (communicating where every player needs to be)
Providing help defense all over the floor
Protecting the rim
Switching onto players 1-5, ball handlers and covering up defensive miscues
Shutting down the PNR/PNR and all activity around screens/pindowns
Guarding stretch bigs and post bigs
Able to defend every shot in any situation possible
Crashing the glass, boxing out big men

Dudes want Draymond to forego all of those roles and just simply have him guard one player. Imagine just how less effective the Warriors defense would be if all he did was guard one player. It's the equivalent of having a freak and the only sexual activity y'all doing is missionary with your clothes on.

This is all just basic shyt that I shouldn't need to address.

 

[Rigby.]

I don't see how folk are askng why didn't Draymond guard LeBron. It's the same/similar reason Duncan was never the primary defender on LeBron. It's the same/similar reason why every big man anchor doesn't defend LeBron. Are we forgetting how many roles Draymond has on the defensive end that puts the Warriors in position of having an elite defense:

Guarding the low/high post - against legit big men
Anchoring the paint/defense (communicating where every player needs to be)
Providing help defense all over the floor
Protecting the rim
Switching onto players 1-5, ball handlers and covering up defensive miscues
Shutting down the PNR/PNR and all activity around screens/pindowns
Guarding stretch bigs and post bigs
Able to defend every shot in any situation possible
Crashing the glass, boxing out big men

Dudes want Draymond to forego all of those roles and just simply have him guard one player. Imagine just how less effective the Warriors defense would be if all he did was guard one player. It's the equivalent of having a freak and the only sexual activity y'all doing is missionary with your clothes on.

people keep asking cause you keep making the MOST VERSATILE DEFENDER thing like the main focus of your damn argument. It aint like Cleveland was outchea burning them from a top down perspective roster wise in 5 & 6. Put your best dude out there to defend the only dudes burning you and hope role players dont make they shots. Its either oochie wally or one mic nikka

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

people keep asking cause you keep making the MOST VERSATILE DEFENDER thing like the main focus of your damn argument. Its either oochie wally or one mic nikka

How does this even make any sense? Do you even realize what you're saying/arguing?

 

[GoddamnyamanProf]

I. I didn't bury the source - it's all there in the OP
II. I already made it abundantly clear in the OP that the player in question is now a Warriors commentator and that there could be bias involved, yet you also have to take into account somebody of his age is biased towards players of his generation. Just like every past player/coach that speaks on the game. If we're dismissing his opinion on that basis, than we must do the same to 99% of players'/coaches' opinions (past and present).
III. You really need to stop making up shyt.

I didnt make anything up, Gil.

Your notion that if we discount Jim Barnett's opinion, that we must also do the same for all other players and coaches, is nonsense.

 

[Rigby.]

How does this even make any sense? Do you even realize what you're saying/arguing?

peep my edit

 

[GoddamnyamanProf]

Why do you keep posting these lies when I already debunked this talking point?

You need to stop talking about basketball, it clearly isn't your thing. I guess Duncan ain't shyt on defense since he was never the primary defender on LeBron whenever they played each other.

No one ever claimed Duncan could guard any position.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

I didnt make anything up, Gil.

Yes you did quite cleary make up shyt that I wasn't guilty of.

Your notion that if we discount Jim Barnett's opinion, that we must also do the same for all other players and coaches, is nonsense.

I said 99% of players'/coaches' opinions, because there's bias surrounding their views as well. Every past player/coach has some degree of bias influencing their beliefs. This man has played WITH Bill Russell, and he's been covering the league for 3-4 decades, and yet you choose to single out that he's biased towards a player of today? Did you ever think that he could be biased towards players of his generaton, or the 80s, 90s or 00s? Or that he's simply believes through decades of watching and playing the game that Draymond is one of the best defenders he's seen?

 

[sportscribe]

A poor man's Dennis Rodman, but yes, still a great defender.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

No one ever claimed Duncan could guard any position.

The point was that Duncan has many roles to fulfill on defense, that no other player on the team could. Just like Draymond. If you wanna focus on that "guarding 1-5" point, than it's the same reason KG was never the primary defender on LeBron.