Dwyer: Top 10 Defenders of the Last Decade (Duncan #4)

Luffy · Post #1 » by **Luffy** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 9:24 pm

Somehow, while pouring in over 20 a game, Duncan nearly managed to rule just as well as Ben Wallace(notes) did. He covered huge bits of floor while his guards recovered after the "screen" part of the screen-and-roll, blocked shots on the ball (he's been especially adept at giving a small guard a small step to drive with his strong hand, then recovering quickly enough to swat the shot with his left hand), and secured rebound after rebound. And he never fouled. Never sent teams to the line for cheap points. That's so huge.

As well-regarded as he is, Duncan is still underrated defensively. You could argue for him to be higher on this list, as well. It would be a tough argument to counter.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/The-top-10-best-defenders-of-the-last-decade;_ylt=AguWIobfTvquo7.Qzi8LTF.8vLYF?urn=nba,185792

TAI8 · Post #2 » by **TAI8** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:14 pm

Wow...Big Ben Wallace and Shane Battier ahead of Duncan? Duncan still remains to this day one of the most underappreciated superstars of our time..I won't even start on the DPOY snubs...

co_laper · Post #3 » by **co_laper** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 4:20 pm

Well I have no idea who Kelly Dwyer is (the writer) and that article seems to be his personal opinion on who the best defenders of the last decade is but I will agree that I think Ben Wallace and Kevin Garnett are better defenders than Duncan in this last decade. And the Snub here isn't Duncan at number 4. I think number 3 should be Bruce Bowen.

Blame Rasho · Post #4 » by **Blame Rasho** » Sat Aug 29, 2009 6:49 pm

Well given that TD has the most all NBA DEFENSIVE SELECTIONS of all time... I kinda disagree with him being 4th...

LyMinh · Post #5 » by **LyMinh** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 2:38 am

Duncan should be #1

SMRattler · Post #6 » by **SMRattler** » Sun Aug 30, 2009 3:04 am

TD has made more All-defense teams than... anyone. And KG, who plays the same position and played him head to head a whole bunch of years and never did much to prove head to head that he was a better defender is #1? TD only won 4 titles by anchoring the best defensive team in the past decade.

Sorry... how many DPOY did he win? How many times was he up there in consideration? WTF?

I know someone who was up there several times... and he was #7.

The Main Event · Post #7 » by **The Main Event** » Wed Sep 2, 2009 2:43 pm

wone wrote:Wow...Big Ben Wallace and Shane Battier ahead of Duncan? Duncan still remains to this day one of the most underappreciated superstars of our time..I won't even start on the DPOY snubs...

Both are better defenders (Ben in his prime) then Tim. That isn't a slight on Tim at all; he's a great defender, but they're just slightly ahead.

TAI8 · Post #8 » by **TAI8** » Wed Sep 2, 2009 3:34 pm

The Main Event wrote:
wone wrote:Wow...Big Ben Wallace and Shane Battier ahead of Duncan? Duncan still remains to this day one of the most underappreciated superstars of our time..I won't even start on the DPOY snubs...

Both are better defenders (Ben in his prime) then Tim. That isn't a slight on Tim at all; he's a great defender, but they're just slightly ahead.

No way..As Blame Rasho already said Duncan has the most All-NBA D selections of all time..Not only that but he anchored a defensive dynasty for the span of an entire decade..As good as Big Ben and Battier are they can't touch that..

Post #9 » by **Nolan** » Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:37 am

I really can't see how this dude can say that KG is a better defender than Duncan.

co_laper · Post #10 » by **co_laper** » Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:40 pm

I think we can all agree that the writer of this column is just plain stupid..

Post #11 » by **Nolan** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 3:06 am

co_laper wrote:I think we can all agree that the writer of this column is just plain stupid..

I agree.

Donald Kaufman · Post #12 » by **Donald Kaufman** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 4:00 am

Is there a bigger crime in NBA history than TD not having at least one DPOY award, while Ben Wallace has 4?!??

co_laper · Post #13 » by **co_laper** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 7:02 am

Which year do you think Duncan should've win? I mean I think Duncan should have a DPOY also, but I can't remember a year where I feel Duncan was robbed of the DPOY award. I remember Duncan consistently being like a top 3-5 just about every year, but not one year where he's just flat out better than anyone else and the award still given to someone else.

UDRIH14 · Post #14 » by **UDRIH14** » Fri Sep 4, 2009 7:55 am

the yr duncan shouldve won DPOY was the year artest and ben wallace was out due to the brawl...they missed an amount of games....

the voting is lame, if you missed 10 games ur not in consideration for mvp voting, but for every other minor award you have a good chance of winning...

co_laper · Post #15 » by **co_laper** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 11:08 am

Who won that year when the Brawl happened? I really can't remember the winners of DPOY. I don't even remember who won it 2 years ago before Garnett...

Black_Jack21 · Post #16 » by **Black_Jack21** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 1:06 pm

I believe it was Marcus Camby wasn't it?

Donald Kaufman · Post #17 » by **Donald Kaufman** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 1:11 pm

2006-07 Camby
2005-06 Wallace
2004-05 Wallace
2003-04 Artest
2002-03 Wallace
2001-02 Wallace
2000-01 Mutombo
1999-00 Mourning

The Brawl was at the start of the 04-05 season, wasn't it? So Big Ben won that year. Well deserved, but the award tends to go to defensive specialists - which on the surface makes sense - but the voters generally seem to penalize those that dominate both ends of the floor, hence Duncan's snub.

The Camby award especially was baffling. I've never been impressed by his D, he just gets a bunch of blocks but he's far from an elite defender IMO.

Black_Jack21 · Post #18 » by **Black_Jack21** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 1:14 pm

I thought the brawl happened after we beat them for the title. So that would be 05-06, but your still right it was wallace that won that year.
I was shocked and appauled that Camby won it.

co_laper · Post #19 » by **co_laper** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 4:38 pm

Well now I remember the year Camby won but I still don't feel it's Duncan who should've won that award. Isn't that the year Bowen got snubbed? I think it is, but not 100% sure. Cause I sure remember a year when I feel Bowen was snubbed, but never a year when Duncan got snubbed.

As fas as Camby, I think highly of Camby's defense to be honest, but the award really should go to atleast a player from a team that was top 3-4 defensively. Denver wasn't anywhere near that good. I remember thinking Camby won it purely on statistics. If Camby got a DPOY for statistics, Kevin Garnett should've gotten like 8 for his defensive numbers in Minnesota.

Blame Rasho · Post #20 » by **Blame Rasho** » Sat Sep 5, 2009 4:57 pm

Camby is a horrible defender... when you are the 3rd best man defender on the team... that should DQ you from being considered a DPOY.