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Saw a post on Facebook and it got me thinking. I think I would go with:

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Scottie Pippen
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Hakeem Olajuwon

In which era? Or is this exercise assuming this team is dropped into a random era?

The era definitely matters but I will go with the current era against the best possible offensive team.

Gary Payton II
Tony Allen
Scottie Pippen
Draymond Green
Kevin Garnett

Against a league with more dominant centers and less shooting spacing, swap out Draymond for Russell but then offenses are already worse.

ivorytower wrote:In which era? Or is this exercise assuming this team is dropped into a random era?

In any era.

C: Bill Russell
PF: Rodman
SF: Pippen
SG: Jordan
PG: Payton

Really there is so many you can choose from.
C: Hakeem
PF: Kemp
SF: Reggie Lewis
SG: Jordan
PG: Wade

That one is about blocks and steals.

To create this I want to emphasize switchability while stilling having amazing rim protection. Seems pretty easy to me

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Sidney Moncrief
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Bill Russell

Not necessarily the “best” at each position but I think this 5 will create the best rDRTG possible in the sport of basketball

Payton
Jordan
Giannis
Draymond
Hakeem

I've given up on trying to make people recognize Bill Russell's greatness in all those GOAT rankings and whatnot.

But if we're talking about defense exclusively, there is no chance in hell I'm picking anyone else at center. And I don't give a damn about this or that specific skill that -insert name here- might have that Russell didn't show because of his era's playstyle. He is BY FAR the best and most impactful defender ever, to the tune of 11 championships.

That's a hill I'm willing to die on. Wilt, Hakeem, Mutombo, Robinson, Garnett, Gobert, you name it. I'm taking Russell and running away.

ceoofkobefans wrote:To create this I want to emphasize switchability while stilling having amazing rim protection. Seems pretty easy to me

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Sidney Moncrief
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Bill Russell

Not necessarily the “best” at each position but I think this 5 will create the best rDRTG possible in the sport of basketball

Ok, so we got a real nice starting unit, courtesy of CEOofKobeFans.
Love seeing good old Sidney there!

And then for a bench unit, we got one right here from jasonxxx102...

jasonxxx102 wrote:Payton
Jordan
Giannis
Draymond
Hakeem

Let's see, so that leaves me 2 spots at the end of the bench...
Kawhi Leonard
Tim Duncan

Last cuts from Preseason Training Camp:
Wade, Tony Allen, Rodman, David Robinson, and (a throw-back choice for the 'ole-timers) Bobby Jones.
Half those guys are angry that Kidd made the team over them.
The other half are angry that Draymond made the team over them.
But nobody is complaining about Sidney. Nobody!

Meanwhile, across town at the other Gym, Kobe and LeBron have gotten together, wondering why in the world they never got invited in the first place! Somebody in the back (out of sight) hush-whispers "over-rated defense" but when they spin around to look who said it (and it sure sounded like Chuck) there was nobody there (so it couldn't have been Chuck, right?).

uberhikari wrote:Saw a post on Facebook and it got me thinking. I think I would go with:

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Scottie Pippen
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Hakeem Olajuwon

I’ll counter with this using all different players. I don’t know if it’s better but it’s surely interesting.

Tony Allen
Lebron
Draymond
Duncan
Bill Russell

No-more-rings wrote:

uberhikari wrote:Saw a post on Facebook and it got me thinking. I think I would go with:

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Scottie Pippen
SF: Kawhi Leonard
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Hakeem Olajuwon

I’ll counter with this using all different players. I don’t know if it’s better but it’s surely interesting.

Tony Allen
Lebron
Draymond
Duncan
Bill Russell

That is very interesting. The help defense of LBJ + Draymond with their BBIQ would wreck offenses. And it doesn't matter if you beat them off the dribble because you're just running into Russell and Duncan.

ceoofkobefans wrote:To create this I want to emphasize switchability while stilling having amazing rim protection. Seems pretty easy to me

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Sidney Moncrief
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Bill Russell

Not necessarily the “best” at each position but I think this 5 will create the best rDRTG possible in the sport of basketball

This is a really good team. I would take it over the one I created.

I'd probably skip having a guard-sized player if we're trying to build the best defensive team ever. There are enough big wings who were more effective point-of-attack defenders than any 6'4" or under guy. Shawn Marion, prime Lebron, Mikal Bridges, young Kawhi, types who showed they could stick with speedsters with the added bonus of having size to bother them. I'd probably still Kidd and Tony Allen types though. Allen's ability to get over screens was so good. Kidd isn't the best POA defender but basically gives you an extra forward out there with his strength, hands, and smarts.

uberhikari wrote:

ceoofkobefans wrote:To create this I want to emphasize switchability while stilling having amazing rim protection. Seems pretty easy to me

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Sidney Moncrief
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Bill Russell

Not necessarily the “best” at each position but I think this 5 will create the best rDRTG possible in the sport of basketball

This is a really good team. I would take it over the one I created.

I liked these ceoofkobefans and uberhikari lineups!

They had:
PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Sidney Moncrief vs Kawhi Leonard
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Bill Russell vs Hakeem Olajuwon

I’ve always wanted to know more about Moncrief, and the comparison vs young Kawhi is interesting to think about.

I tend to side with Russell over Hakeem, though I’d at least hear arguments that Hakeem’s big man defense and rim protection is more complimentary when paired with Garnett (who would probably play a similar role to Russell). The question is basically: Hakeem, KG, Russell, choose 2/3, AND Kidd, Moncrief, Kawhi, choose 2/3. People haven’t suggested an even more twin-towers style lineup of Hakeem and Russell yet, but that would also be fun to see! I have them as probably the 2 GOAT defenders.


One interesting twist on this question is: what is the best on-ball/man defense starting five, and what is the best off-ball/team defense starting five, and how do they compare? I’d do something like:

Best off-ball / team defenders:
Pg: Kidd
Sg: moncief? (Don’t know enough about him vs Jordan, cooper, Allen)
SF: Pippen
PF: Garnett (honorable mention to duncan, maybe draymond)
C: Bill Russell

Best man defenders
Pg: Gary Payton
Sg: Mj?
PF: Kawhi
SF: Duncan (honorable mention rodman)
C: Nate Thurmond (honorable mention hakeem)

I probably take the off-hall defensive team to win, but still interesting. For the best possible defensive team, I might have Kawhi in for either Moncrief or Kidd on the Off-ball team.

Pippen
Jordan
Leonard
Garnett
Olajuwon

Although I definitely don't mind having Payton I'll take the extra length - passing lanes would be an absolute menace with those three guys.

I considered Draymond but I think one of his most valuable skills is defensive leadership which is definitely a floor raiser when you have 'typical' NBA defenders on your team but when your 4 other teammates are all elite defenders it doesn't add much.

I'll take the versatility of Garnett and Olajuwon.

PG: Jason Kidd
SG: Kawhi Leonard
SF: Scottie Pippen
PF: Draymond Green
C: Bill Russell

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Duncan, Dray, Pippen... Kawhi... that's four of the best I've seen.

You kind of need a wing or guard at that point to make a "real team," which eliminates a ton of the game's greatest defenders. I see a lot of excellent answers in the thread, but I'll add a new one - one that would also work great offensively: Chris Paul.

PG Kidd
SG Jordan
SF Pippen
PF Garnett
C Russell