RealGM

Who are the best defenders of this era?

Off the top of my head I’m thinking

Draymond
Giannis
Gobert
Bam
Embiid

I’m counting it as 2015-2022

I wonder how they’d fair in the 2000s or beforehand too. Gobert I feel would be an absolute monster

I think you should change the title to 2015-22 era, because three point era started in 1979. It may confuse a lot of people.

About that period, Green and Gobert are clearly top 2 for me. No other player was nearly as consistent as them. Marc Gasol has to be there, he's an obvious choice for me at number 3. Giannis is probably distant 4th, as he didn't become elite defender until 2019.

Not sure what to do with the 5th spot. You have some guys who peaked high, but were inconsistent (Embiid, Davis). You have guys like Al Hofrord, who has been good for years. Bam is an interesting choice, but he has only 3 seasons in this period. I really think Horford is a good choice for the 5th spot.

How good would they fair in the earlier eras? All of them would be great, although I don't think any of them would reach GOAT-level. Gobert would probably be the best out of them, but while some changes would suit him (less spacing, more rim attacks), other ones would reduce his value (a lot of post players, illegal defense for that period). Green would be always great, but his lack of size could be problematic against specific matchups. Giannis would be great in any era and I don't find any concerns with him, but I don't think he's on that GOAT level period.

Gobert is a joke in the playoffs when it really matters.

Give me AD and Giannis plus Lebron over him any day of the week.


As for this discussion, I would have to say Green.

coastalmarker99 wrote:Gobert is a joke in the playoffs when it really matters.

So every moment when he isn't a joke in the playoffs doesn't matter?

Lebron ranks highly for me.

LeBron 2016 regular season.

Overall: 37.4 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 44.7%, -7.3%
Threes: 32.1 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 34.6%, -2.6%
Twos: 40.8 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 49.0%, -8.2%
<6ft: 48.6 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 59.9%, -11.3%


Lebron's 2016 playoffs

Overall: 31.9 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 45.9%, -14.0%

Threes: 24.1 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 36.7%, -12. 6%

Twos: 36.6 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 50.5%, -13.9%

<6ft: 37.9 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 61.3%, -23.5%


LeBron's defence in the 2016 finals:

Overall: 31.6 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 47.9%, -16.3%

Threes: 29.0 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 39.6%, -10.6%

Twos: 33.3 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 53.6%, -20.3%

<6ft: 38.5 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 63.6%, -25.1%

70sFan wrote:

coastalmarker99 wrote:Gobert is a joke in the playoffs when it really matters.

So every moment when he isn't a joke in the playoffs doesn't matter?

According to the Lebron metric, Rudy Gobert's defensive impact suffered a massive drop from the regular season to the playoffs from 2019 to 2021.

From the '19-'21 seasons, Gobert's 3-year defensive LEBRON was +4.77, which put him 2nd in the NBA behind Giannis.

However, his playoff defensive Lebron during those same 3 seasons was +1.42, which is a whopping regression of over 3 points that puts him tied for 35th with Blake Griffin.

Other defensive stalwarts like Giannis, Draymond, and Embiid remained in the top 4 during that same time period.

coastalmarker99 wrote:

70sFan wrote:

coastalmarker99 wrote:Gobert is a joke in the playoffs when it really matters.

So every moment when he isn't a joke in the playoffs doesn't matter?

According to the Lebron metric, Rudy Gobert's defensive impact suffered a massive drop from the regular season to the playoffs from 2019 to 2021.

From the '19-'21 seasons, Gobert's 3-year defensive LEBRON was +4.77, which put him 2nd in the NBA behind Giannis.

However, his playoff defensive Lebron during those same 3 seasons was +1.42, which is a whopping regression of over 3 points that puts him tied for 35th with Blake Griffin.

Other defensive stalwarts like Giannis, Draymond, and Embiid remained in the top 4 during that same time period.

Not surprising that Giannis, Draymond and Embiid all played next to elite defensive rosters, while Gobert is surrounded by horrible defenders.

coastalmarker99 wrote:Lebron ranks highly for me.

LeBron 2016 regular season.

Overall: 37.4 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 44.7%, -7.3%
Threes: 32.1 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 34.6%, -2.6%
Twos: 40.8 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 49.0%, -8.2%
<6ft: 48.6 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 59.9%, -11.3%


Lebron's 2016 playoffs

Overall: 31.9 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 45.9%, -14.0%

Threes: 24.1 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 36.7%, -12. 6%

Twos: 36.6 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 50.5%, -13.9%

<6ft: 37.9 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 61.3%, -23.5%


LeBron's defence in the 2016 finals:

Overall: 31.6 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 47.9%, -16.3%

Threes: 29.0 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 39.6%, -10.6%

Twos: 33.3 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 53.6%, -20.3%

<6ft: 38.5 DFG%, opponents usually shoot 63.6%, -25.1%

those numbers dont even look real