Page 1 of 1
GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2024 7:55 pm
by The Explorer
Continuation of the GOAT skills series. Next up is post defense.
Who would you say is the GOAT post defender? Consider positioning, strength, disruption, and track record against all time post scorers.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2024 8:21 pm
by 70sFan
This one is quite easy to me - Nate the Great gets this title.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2024 8:33 pm
by tsherkin
70sFan wrote:This one is quite easy to me - Nate the Great gets this title.
An excellent choice.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2024 9:02 pm
by Rishkar
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 6:54 am
by HeartBreakKid
How about for guards and forwards?
I think Smart might be the best at it for guards unless I'm forgetting someone. Maybe Simmons?
Perhaps Wallace for forwards?
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 7:48 am
by 70sFan
HeartBreakKid wrote:How about for guards and forwards?
I think Smart might be the best at it for guards unless I'm forgetting someone. Maybe Simmons?
Perhaps Wallace for forwards?
For forwards, Chuck Hayes is one of the best choices available.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 2:42 pm
by EmpireFalls
James Harden.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 4:33 pm
by penbeast0
For wings (he was a F-G type in his day, maybe a combo forward today), maybe Bill Hanzlick. Doug Moe used to use him on centers because his ability to hold post position was so good plus he was a nasty little pest on the pass in.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 4:47 pm
by Ron Swanson
Don't think you can go anyone other than Thurmond and it's awful hard to say anyone in the recent or modern era has a case with how post offense has been mitigated. One underrated guy I'll throw out there is PJ Tucker.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 7:08 pm
by Peregrine01
My underrated pick is Dennis Rodman. He gave the most trouble to Shaq of anyone I’ve seen.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 8:03 pm
by tsherkin
Peregrine01 wrote:My underrated pick is Dennis Rodman. He gave the most trouble to Shaq of anyone I’ve seen.
Shaq averaged 26.8 ppg and 13.4 rpg on 54.0% FG, with .545 FTr versus Rodman on his career, FWIW.
Re: GOAT Skills: Post Defense
Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2024 10:09 pm
by Peregrine01
tsherkin wrote:Peregrine01 wrote:My underrated pick is Dennis Rodman. He gave the most trouble to Shaq of anyone I’ve seen.
Shaq averaged 26.8 ppg and 13.4 rpg on 54.0% FG, with .545 FTr versus Rodman on his career, FWIW.
I'm guessing he did most of his damage against Longley and Wennington. I still remember those Bulls/Magic and Bulls/Lakers games of the 90s...Shaq would have these huge scoring first halves and then the Bulls would go small with Rodman in the middle and Kukoc at the 4 and completely demolish them in the second half. Having three long wings (Harper, Jordan and Pippen) made it difficult for opposing guards to even get the ball past the half court line and when Shaq finally got the ball with a limited clock to work with Rodman was sturdy enough not to get moved off his spot. And when Shaq couldn't bully his way to get right under the rim his effectiveness dropped a lot.
It's actually incredible how dominant those Bulls defenses were. I'd argue even more important than their offense.