Could Anthony Davis (when healthy) be the best playoff defensive player in the league

[DatAsh]

I realize that Davis has been off offensively so far in the playoffs, but defensively, I think he's been one of the best defenders I've ever seen.

I've seen every playoff game so far this year, and to my eye, Davis has been the best defender to my eye. It honestly reminds me of prime Olajuwon. That said, it's so hard to compare. Given how much more spread the game is today, it's impossible for him to have the same defensive impact as Hakeem, but on the near basket plays he can affect, he's pretty close, at least to my eyes.

Am I crazy?

[HeartBreakKid]

Are you asking if he's the best defender in the league today or all time? Because your second paragraph seems to be about Olajuwon.

[DatAsh]

Are you asking if he's the best defender in the league today or all time? Because your second paragraph seems to be about Olajuwon.

I'm asking who else thinks he's the best defender so far in this years playoffs. Overall, I don't see him as good as Olojuwon, defensively.

[MyUniBroDavis]

I realize that Davis has been off offensively so far in the playoffs, but defensively, I think he's been one of the best defenders I've ever seen.

I've seen every playoff game so far this year, and to my eye, Davis has been the best defender to my eye. It honestly reminds me of prime Olajuwon. That said, it's so hard to compare. Given how much more spread the game is today, it's impossible for him to have the same defensive impact as Hakeem, but on the near basket plays he can affect, he's pretty close, at least to my eyes.

Am I crazy?

Worth mentioning AD has a block rate of 9.9% these playoffs so far (and high rates are harder for obvious reasons nowadays) despite playing mostly in a high drop rather than a rim drop so far. He’s been insane at the rim and been really mobile too


Let’s put it this way, here were the top 5 DPOY vote getters

JJJ
Brook
Mobley
Giannis (injured)
Draymond
Embiid

Come playoff time, probably Draymond and Giannis and JJJ are a clear top 3, don’t know much about where to put Embiid of course but he’s just been hurt


So Giannis was hurt, and the Lakers just beat memphis and are in a series with golden state so far

In the memphis series, JJJ played his DPOY defense, and actually was able to avoid foul trouble. It was just not comparable to ADs defense

In that last game, the warriors shot the same inside the arc than outside of it.

Regular season he was very good, playoffs it’s not a discussion whose been the best defender, so far he’s been in a tier by himself that’s a few tiers higher than the next best

Don’t think it’ll last of course, he’s not gonna average 4 blocks a game vs this warriors offense, or do that vs the Suns and Jokic is a horrible matchup for him, but he’s been fantastic thus far

[Peregrine01]

He's been quite clearly the best defensive player in these playoffs IMO. Just erasing everything at the rim. Incidentally, it's interesting how the Lakers are playing him - even against the Warriors he just sits back and invites 3s off of dribble hand-offs while banking on the on-ball defender to contest from behind. Lakers seem to think that he's most valuable just sitting in the paint and will take the lesser of two evils by inviting the 3.

[Bruh Man]

Are you asking if he's the best defender in the league today or all time? Because your second paragraph seems to be about Olajuwon.

I'm asking who else thinks he's the best defender so far in this years playoffs. Overall, I don't see him as good as Olojuwon, defensively.

Yes he's been the best defender in the playoffs by a wide margin, he's averaging over 4 blocks a game and pulling down 15+ boards so far.

[MyUniBroDavis]

He's been quite clearly the best defensive player in these playoffs IMO. Just erasing everything at the rim. Incidentally, it's interesting how the Lakers are playing him - even against the Warriors he just sits back and invites 3s off of dribble hand-offs while banking on the on-ball defender to contest from behind. Lakers seem to think that he's most valuable just sitting in the paint and will take the lesser of two evils by inviting the 3.

Nah we’re just playing a high drop and occasionally mix in other stuff, similar to the Celtics plan vs Curry lol, it eliminates the 4v3 situations the warriors are so good at, but more importantly AD is mobile and long enough to contest these things better than the Celtics defenders did

[Peregrine01]

He's been quite clearly the best defensive player in these playoffs IMO. Just erasing everything at the rim. Incidentally, it's interesting how the Lakers are playing him - even against the Warriors he just sits back and invites 3s off of dribble hand-offs while banking on the on-ball defender to contest from behind. Lakers seem to think that he's most valuable just sitting in the paint and will take the lesser of two evils by inviting the 3.

Nah we’re just playing a high drop and occasionally mix in other stuff, similar to the Celtics plan vs Curry lol, it eliminates the 4v3 situations the warriors are so good at, but more importantly AD is mobile and long enough to contest these things better than the Celtics defenders did

Also helps him conserve energy. One age-old knock on him is that his motor isn't always running on high gear. I think the Warriors need to get him moving a lot more which means involving him in more actions while pushing the pace.

[MyUniBroDavis]

He's been quite clearly the best defensive player in these playoffs IMO. Just erasing everything at the rim. Incidentally, it's interesting how the Lakers are playing him - even against the Warriors he just sits back and invites 3s off of dribble hand-offs while banking on the on-ball defender to contest from behind. Lakers seem to think that he's most valuable just sitting in the paint and will take the lesser of two evils by inviting the 3.

Nah we’re just playing a high drop and occasionally mix in other stuff, similar to the Celtics plan vs Curry lol, it eliminates the 4v3 situations the warriors are so good at, but more importantly AD is mobile and long enough to contest these things better than the Celtics defenders did

Also helps him conserve energy. One age-old knock on him is that his motor isn't always running on high gear. I think the Warriors need to get him moving a lot more which means involving him in more actions while pushing the pace.

Nah his motor has been good this year but after he got hurt he chilled a bit, hasn’t this playoffs.

AD isn’t ever there in transition since that’s not really what centers do, and in the halfcourt if he’s on looney in high drop not much you can do, Curry might just start pulling and hitting from the logo and that’s where we’d have to adjust but his presence is what’s deterring all of the backcuts and all of that stuff

Warriors were tremendously lucky to score as much as they did yesterday, they shouldn’t have broken 100 but hit some absurd threes

It’s just been a good answer vs what we’ve faced so far, and AD makes it unique.

I Don’t expect it to work the whole series not suprised we won game 1, I still think it’s a tossup but I’d say we are the team that would win if everything was optimal decision making wise if that makes sense

[Asianiac_24]

He is right now

[Woodsanity]

I realize that Davis has been off offensively so far in the playoffs, but defensively, I think he's been one of the best defenders I've ever seen.

I've seen every playoff game so far this year, and to my eye, Davis has been the best defender to my eye. It honestly reminds me of prime Olajuwon. That said, it's so hard to compare. Given how much more spread the game is today, it's impossible for him to have the same defensive impact as Hakeem, but on the near basket plays he can affect, he's pretty close, at least to my eyes.

Am I crazy?

Yes but I don't think he can sustain that level of defensive intensity over the full course of a season so its not really a fair comparison.

[Gregoire]

No obviously.

Healthy Green, Embiid, Giannis are better

[Colbinii]

No obviously.

Healthy Green, Embiid, Giannis are better

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

[70sFan]

No obviously.

Healthy Green, Embiid, Giannis are better

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

Giannis case is him being better a few years ago basically, he's not close to Davis defensively this year.

Embiid is a strange mention, to be honest I don't see any case for him.

[Colbinii]

No obviously.

Healthy Green, Embiid, Giannis are better

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

Giannis case is him being better a few years ago basically, he's not close to Davis defensively this year.

Embiid is a strange mention, to be honest I don't see any case for him.

To compare to some historical players.

I have AD closer to David Robinson than to Embiid.

I have Embiid closer to Moses Malone than AD.

[OhayoKD]

No obviously.

Healthy Green, Embiid, Giannis are better

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

Giannis is a pretty easy sell if you’re not overreacting to him not being able to help as well with a hobbled back. He can do basically the same stuff ad can and has a much better motor

[MyUniBroDavis]

No obviously.

Healthy Green, Embiid, Giannis are better

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

Giannis is a pretty easy sell if you’re not overreacting to him not being able to help as well with a hobbled back. He can do basically the same stuff ad can and has a much better motor

2020 bubble AD vs 2021 giannis on defense probably a pretty fair comparison

[OhayoKD]

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

Giannis is a pretty easy sell if you’re not overreacting to him not being able to help as well with a hobbled back. He can do basically the same stuff ad can and has a much better motor

2020 bubble AD vs 2021 giannis on defense probably a pretty fair comparison

2019 giannis too. ecf game 3 us up there

[HeartBreakKid]

There is no chance Embiid is better and even Giannis is difficult to buy.

Giannis case is him being better a few years ago basically, he's not close to Davis defensively this year.

Embiid is a strange mention, to be honest I don't see any case for him.

To compare to some historical players.

I have AD closer to David Robinson than to Embiid.

I have Embiid closer to Moses Malone than AD.

Closer to Moses?! That seems rather rough. Are you also high on Moses defense?

[ShaqAttac]

Giannis case is him being better a few years ago basically, he's not close to Davis defensively this year.

Embiid is a strange mention, to be honest I don't see any case for him.

To compare to some historical players.

I have AD closer to David Robinson than to Embiid.

I have Embiid closer to Moses Malone than AD.

Closer to Moses?! That seems rather rough. Are you also high on Moses defense?

embid thicc, tall, n bouncy. he also guardin folks at the perimiter. he prob d-rob lvl. ad sumthn else tho