CB Historical Draft: Vote Best Defensive Player of the Era

[GreenFaith1819]

Ok..Great Discussion about Centers, but do you all have any stastical proof of Dikembe being better than Hakeem?

The only one I could find was 4 Defensive Player of the Year awards for Dikembe to 2 for Hakeem.

Noted.

But statistically, Hakeem was better than Zo, Dikembe, and Rodman.

And I agree-Rodman would be more apt to guard 5 positions than Hakeem.

[Roy Hobbs]

Ok..Great Discussion about Centers, but do you all have any stastical proof of Dikembe being better than Hakeem?

The only one I could find was 4 Defensive Player of the Year awards for Dikembe to 2 for Hakeem.

Noted.

But statistically, Hakeem was better than Zo, Dikembe, and Rodman.

And I agree-Rodman would be more apt to guard 5 positions than Hakeem.

The problem is that defensive stats don't always correspond with the best defensive players.  There's no stat for bodying your man and keeping him out of position, for instance.

[nickagneta]

Exactly. I mean what stat shows that Perk is one of the two best low post defenders in the game today?

[GreenFaith1819]

And see, that's the thing (Bodying your man)..

On that note, Shaq absolutely shredded Mutombo, but had a hard time backing down Hakeem. Hakeem was not as strong as Shaq, but he was strong enough to keep him in front of him until help arrived.

[GreenFaith1819]

Exactly. I mean what stat shows that Perk is one of the two best low post defenders in the game today?

Really good point, Nick..really good.

[Roy Hobbs]

And see, that's the thing (Bodying your man)..

On that note, Shaq absolutely shredded Mutombo, but had a hard time backing down Hakeem. Hakeem was not as strong as Shaq, but he was strong enough to keep him in front of him until help arrived.

See, I don't think that Shaq shredded Mutumbo.  Mutumbo actually kept Shaq significantly below his career average, to around 21.5 points per game.  Those are still great numbers, but they're not other-worldly. 

[nickagneta]

And see, that's the thing (Bodying your man)..

On that note, Shaq absolutely shredded Mutombo, but had a hard time backing down Hakeem. Hakeem was not as strong as Shaq, but he was strong enough to keep him in front of him until help arrived.

See, I don't think that Shaq shredded Mutumbo.  Mutumbo actually kept Shaq significantly below his career average, to around 21.5 points per game.  Those are still great numbers, but they're not other-worldly. 

I think they look even more impressive when you realize that during Shaq's heyday between 1993 and 2003 he was averaging close to 28 PPG and yet in Shaq's entire career he scored more than 24 against a team with Dikembe on it just 4 times.

That's probably not something I want to be used against me for purposes of the CB Historical Draft game, but it is true and quite impressive. I think Mutombo caused more problems on the court for Shaq than any one single player in Shaq's career.

[GreenFaith1819]

And see, that's the thing (Bodying your man)..

On that note, Shaq absolutely shredded Mutombo, but had a hard time backing down Hakeem. Hakeem was not as strong as Shaq, but he was strong enough to keep him in front of him until help arrived.

See, I don't think that Shaq shredded Mutumbo.  Mutumbo actually kept Shaq significantly below his career average, to around 21.5 points per game.  Those are still great numbers, but they're not other-worldly. 

I think they look even more impressive when you realize that during Shaq's heyday between 1993 and 2003 he was averaging close to 28 PPG and yet in Shaq's entire career he scored more than 24 against a team with Dikembe on it just 4 times.

That's probably not something I want to be used against me for purposes of the CB Historical Draft game, but it is true and quite impressive. I think Mutombo caused more problems on the court for Shaq than any one single player in Shaq's career.

Good Points.

I guess my memory is limited sometimes. We just don't see those kind or Marquee Center matchups anymore.

My basis for the "Shaq shredding Mutumbo" statement came from the 2000-2001 Finals..my memory of that series was Shaq moving Dikembe under the rim and dunking on him repeatedly.

Dikembe was certainly a Game Changer, though. And the strange thing is that after that series, it appeared as if the Refs started tightening up on Shaq playing that brand of physical play.

[Who]

And see, that's the thing (Bodying your man)..

On that note, Shaq absolutely shredded Mutombo, but had a hard time backing down Hakeem. Hakeem was not as strong as Shaq, but he was strong enough to keep him in front of him until help arrived.

See, I don't think that Shaq shredded Mutumbo.  Mutumbo actually kept Shaq significantly below his career average, to around 21.5 points per game.  Those are still great numbers, but they're not other-worldly. 

I think they look even more impressive when you realize that during Shaq's heyday between 1993 and 2003 he was averaging close to 28 PPG and yet in Shaq's entire career he scored more than 24 against a team with Dikembe on it just 4 times.

That's probably not something I want to be used against me for purposes of the CB Historical Draft game, but it is true and quite impressive. I think Mutombo caused more problems on the court for Shaq than any one single player in Shaq's career.

I thought Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson caused more problems for Shaquille O'Neal than anyone else.

I would also go with Ewing over Mutombo. Then Deke. Then Alonzo.