The more game footage I watch, the more impressed I come away with Kevin McHale's defensive versatility. I just watched a January 1987 game against Chicago where he switched on to Michael Jordan several times, blocking him at least three times in isolation. He even willingly guarded him one-on-one in the clutch, showing an almost KG-like mentality for the challenge.
I've collected a number of GIFs of McHale defending various players across different positions. I'll continue to add GIFs over time. Right now, for me, he's legitimately Anthony Davis-like defending outside & different positions from what I've seen. He doesn't quite have his mobility, but he's an equally quick jumper (maybe a little quicker), and has a notable wingspan and standing reach advantage, which gives him a greater defensive radius & margin for error concerning positioning.
Vs. Michael Jordan (SG)
Spoiler:
Vs. Charles Barkley (PF/SF)
Tom Heinsohn, PHI @ BOS, March 16, 1986 wrote:McHale is the perfect type of player to guard Charles Barkley. He's big enough and has long arms enough that he can stay way off of Barkley, and when Barkley puts it on the floor, still get a piece of the ball when he shoots it.
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He's got to make near-perfect offensive moves to beat McHale.
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Kevin McHale, as I said before, is the ideal player; he is so tall with the long arms, he can back off and not let Barkley really gain a speed advantage over most of the forwards that play against him.
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He played a fine game and did a pretty decent job—I'd say more than decent—on Charles Barkley.
Spoiler:
Vs. Hakeem Olajuwon (C)
Spoiler:
Vs. Dominique Wilkins (SF)
Bob Cousy, BOS @ ATL, Game 3 ECSF, 1986 wrote:The key piece of strategy on KC's part in this entire playoffs up till now: changing the matchup, putting Kevin McHale on Dominique. I don't think Dominique's recovered from the shock yet, and hopefully he won't start tonight. But it's completely neutralized the NBA's leading scorer in Dominique. He averaged 30 a game during the season; he's averaging 16.
Spoiler:
Vs. Orlando Woolridge (SF)
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Vs. Ron Harper (SG/PG)
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Vs. Julius Erving (SF/SG)
Bob Cousy, PHI @ BOS, Game 2 ECF, 1981 wrote:McHale did a pretty good job defensively on J last night.
Bob Cousy, PHI @ BOS, Game 2 ECF, 1982 wrote:I'll tell you, J is working hard, but he's not getting that much accomplished. McHale is making it tough for him.
Tom Heinsohn, PHI @ BOS, January 20, 1985 wrote:McHale with the long arms and terrific leaping ability, he goes right up there and knocks the ball away from Dr. J. Dr. J normally gets that shot off against anybody he wants, but not against McHale.
Spoiler:
Vs. Isiah Thomas (PG)
Spoiler:
Vs. Derek Harper (PG)
Spoiler:
Vs. Mark Aguirre (SF)
Spoiler:
Vs. Moses Malone (C)
Spoiler:
Vs. Bernard King (SF)
Spoiler:
Vs. Kareem (C)
Spoiler:
Vs. Ralph Sampson (C/PF)
Spoiler:
5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA SF/SG Marques Johnson talking about being guarded by rookie Kevin McHale (1980-81):
“You like to test a guy like him out,” said Bucks All-Star forward Marques Johnson, who played man-to-man against the rookie. “You want to see what he can and can’t do. You have a check list. Definitely. You’re working it through your mind.”
Where is Kevin McHale vulnerable? Where is he strong? What can you do against Kevin McHale? What can’t you do? What does he like to do? What doesn’t he like to do? Johnson said he worked the whole list, question by question.
“One thing you learn early against him,” Johnson said, "is that you’re going to have to take him outside. He must have exceptionally long arms. It doesn’t look as if he jumps that high, but he’s always got those arms in front of you, making you alter your shot. It’s almost impossible to get through him on the inside.
A couple of quotes from two highly respected posters on another forum (InsideHoops):
Thorpesaurus wrote:
McHale injured his foot that season and was never quite the same defender. This young McHale could switch onto perimeter guys about as effectively as any big I've ever seen, like in the KG range. I think McHale is criminally underrated, not in terms of historically, like achievement wise, but in terms of skill set. I would personally take him over Barkley and Karl Malone. And because of his post game consistency, I could be talked into over KG, from a team building perspective, if you caught me on the right night. His numbers just don't pop because of the quality of team he played on. The only real weakness is he wasn't a great passer. It was in him. You'd see it in spots. But there was so much ball going around on that team, and he was so good in the post, that when it did get into him, it didn't often come out. I think he could stretch his range out some, and would be a more willing passer in a different setting, and would be a great center in the modern game, because he'd score super efficiently with the spacing, and he'd be super switchable defensively.
Kblaze8855 wrote:
Since longevity wont help me in any single game....id take Mchale in his prime over Malone in his for a number of reasons. Hes more likely to get me a good shot on command and he can guard pretty much anyone between 6'4'' and 7'5'' other than the people nobody can guard(Shaq types).
He doesnt rank higher than Malone for quite a few reasons. Doesnt mean he couldnt do as much or more for a team setup to make use of him.
If you had offense enough to not need to play through him so much that his ball stopping would turn your guys into do nothings...hes a weapon.
Karl needs a little more to go right on a play to get his best look. And he can play defense....and beat up guards who challenge him...but I cant rely on him to slow down as many people. And Mchale can get a shot he can make at least half the time on any touch inside 15 feet hes not doubled.
Karl Malone probably shot 40% or so on shots that were not spoonfed. May have been worse than that at some points. Ive read articles showing he got assisted on like 75-80% of his shots for good periods of time and if hes shooting 50-52%....how much of that is quick layups around the rim Stockton dropped off that he shoots 80% on?
Karl could score. Especially when he had his jumper going. But id feel better going to Mchale if I needed 2-3 shots to extend a late lead or stop a run...at least if I didnt have a great guy setting either one up.
I want my scorers to be whatever the situation may be scorers. Cant count on everything going right scorers. Mchale is a very good broken play "Just get out of the way...." scorer.
He cant pass like Karl and when Karl is on hes a better scorer too. But as a guy to give the ball and assume they bail me out? Id want Kevin. And there are a lot of options when you have a guy who can defend like 70% of the NBA if he has to.
Id like to see what Kevin does longterm if a team is built to make best use of him.
