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Why didn't Shawn Marion ever make an NBA all-defensive team? I think Raja made 2, but I always thought Marion was the better defender of the 2 during their time with the Suns. Marion even went on to be the primary perimeter defender on a championship team. Thoughts?

I think the all-defensive teams are kinda flawed. Most of them are just superstars that aren't actually elite defenders. The Suns had some quality individual defenders but never played well as a team and never had anyone protecting the rim. When you're PG and C are terrible defenders you get exposed. Tony Parker would continually kill us in the playoffs.

He should've made it but in Marion's prime guys like Artest, Bowen, Kirilenko and Lebron were all known for their great D...

DirtyDez wrote:I think the all-defensive teams are kinda flawed. Most of them are just superstars that aren't actually elite defenders. The Suns had some quality individual defenders but never played well as a team and never had anyone protecting the rim. When you're PG and C are terrible defenders you get exposed. Tony Parker would continually kill us in the playoffs.

He should've made it but in Marion's prime guys like Artest, Bowen, Kirilenko and Lebron were all known for their great D...

Raja was a superstar?

No but Kobe was and didn't nearly expend as much energy on the defensive end as Raja, or Shawn.

I think Shawn was one of the most versitile defenders in the league, but I don't think he really ever gained a reputation as a 'stopper'. Conversely Raja would guard the same position night-in and night-out; perhaps that helped his cause regarding the All-Defensive teams.

Now, justifying his absence from an All-Defense team in 2007 when he placed 4th in DPOY voting the same year? Who knows...I would guess voters were hesitent to award the Suns two All-Defense selections given their reputation as a poor defensive team.

Who do you guys think was a better defender: Raja Bell or Shawn Marion

Twuan89 wrote:Who do you guys think was a better defender: Raja Bell or Shawn Marion

Marion. Not even close.

Bell was a pitbull on D - guarding shooting guards and the odd point.

But Marion could guard Iverson one night, Kobe the next, then Duncan after that - and all the deflections, steals, blocks and rebounds to me made him superior on D to Bell

Kobe was always on the All Defense and every year there were guys that deserved it way more than him.

The votings for that is a joke.

the voters are for the most part ignorant homers as evidenced by Kobe making the all defensive team numerous times.

Marion got punished for being an elite defender on a bad defensive team. While Bell was in the same boat he did enough self advertising and trash talking in the media to make his D known even among the casuals.

Because of KG and Duncan being forwards and then you also had Artest and Bowen.

Thank you guys. All great points. There are too many for me to quote and agree with. I do think that Marion's versatility made him the better defender of the two, and I do think that big names occupy a certain number of spots on the all defensive teams by default, leaving only so much room for specialists and non-superstars to be recognized.

To make an all D team you either have to be a super star with a couple of highlight defensive plays, an above average defender who completely sucks on offense, or just play on a lot of top defensive teams. Marion never met those qualifications.

It's a damn shame, even on his time on the Mavericks guys like Stevenson and Butler were getting more all defense team votes.