CB Historical Draft: Vote Your All-Defense Team of the Era

[nickagneta]

For a single year, Mourning might have done the best defensive job for a center in the era in that 1999-2000 season, which for me as an owner of Shaq, kinda sucks because it makes people forget what an unbelievably great job Shaq did that year as a defensive center. Many other years, the year Shaq put in on defense that year may have won him a Defensive Player of the Year award. Instead, because of Mourning's unreal dominance as a defensive player that year, he only got 2nd team All-Defense. Most people forget Shaq was runner up for DPOY that year and hence people forget what a beast he was defensively for that season.

That year and the year before Mourning got all sorts of accolades for his defense but he could never really and even in 2000 could slow down Shaq. Shaq scored over 30 PPG and shot over 56% for his career against Mourning and even in 1999-2000, Mourning was only able to slow Shaw down to 28 PPG and 54% FG% in three games.

No, Mutonbo was the best that I remember versus Shaq.

[Roy Hobbs]

For a single year, Mourning might have done the best defensive job for a center in the era in that 1999-2000 season, which for me as an owner of Shaq, kinda sucks because it makes people forget what an unbelievably great job Shaq did that year as a defensive center. Many other years, the year Shaq put in on defense that year may have won him a Defensive Player of the Year award. Instead, because of Mourning's unreal dominance as a defensive player that year, he only got 2nd team All-Defense. Most people forget Shaq was runner up for DPOY that year and hence people forget what a beast he was defensively for that season.

That year and the year before Mourning got all sorts of accolades for his defense but he could never really and even in 2000 could slow down Shaq. Shaq scored over 30 PPG and shot over 56% for his career against Mourning and even in 1999-2000, Mourning was only able to slow Shaw down to 28 PPG and 54% FG% in three games.

No, Mutonbo was the best that I remember versus Shaq.

I might have missed a game in '99-'00, but basketball-reference has them only meeting twice.  Link.  Mourning held Shaq to 22.5 points and 43.5% shooting that year (and actually outplayed him in both meetings.)

You're right in terms of their careers, but for that one snapshot in time, Mourning got the best of Shaq.

[2short]

pg=gary payton just over john stockton who was a different sort of defender
sg=michael jordan...question is will someone come up with anyone else? alvin robertson 
sf=Pippen for now, let me take a shower have a glass of wine and think of this
pf=kevin garnett, timmy honorable mention
c=akeem

[2short]

I should add this isn't a decade so where does the era begin and stop?
Patrick Ewing I think deserves some look , not ahead of akeem.
And sf, pippen was great but would be lackluster unless jordan was kicking his butt.  I think Ron Artest should get votes there as well
sf is still a work in progress for me

[GreenFaith1819]

Regardless of How many NBA Defensive Teams that Dikembe was on, he is simply not better than Hakeem Olajuwon.

Hakeem changed games.

To elaborate:

Hakeem was all over the floor chasing defenders, based off of my own memory of him, and Youtube. Dikembe was certainly a great center, but did not have mobility to guard a smaller player on the wings.

Hakeem could not, say - guard a Michael Jordan for long periods of time, but he could guard smaller players in stretches.

It comes down to what you want defensively from your center.

Hakeem had more versatility, as you said.  In terms of defending opposing centers, though, I'd give the slight edge to Dikembe.

So you'd give Dikembe the edge in defending Shaq? I love Dikembe and all Georgetown Centers, but Shaq shredded Dikembe, not Hakeem.

We just fundamentally disagree about Shaq shredding Dikembe.  nick -- who owns Shaq in this draft -- said that Dikembe was probably the best defender against Shaq.

Dikembe kept Shaq well below his career averages in their matchups, especially in Dikembe's prime.

Shaq's career stats against Dikembe:  21.5 points, 52.3% FG% (Link.)
 
Shaq's career stats against Hakeem:  22.1 points, 54.4% FG% (Link.)

I mean, nobody could really guard Shaq consistently, but in his prime, Dikembe could slow him down.

(The single best defender of prime Shaq was probably Mourning around 1999 - 2000 or so, but Mourning's prime was cut short.)

So..Hakeem could slow neither Shaq or Dikembe down?

[nickagneta]

For a single year, Mourning might have done the best defensive job for a center in the era in that 1999-2000 season, which for me as an owner of Shaq, kinda sucks because it makes people forget what an unbelievably great job Shaq did that year as a defensive center. Many other years, the year Shaq put in on defense that year may have won him a Defensive Player of the Year award. Instead, because of Mourning's unreal dominance as a defensive player that year, he only got 2nd team All-Defense. Most people forget Shaq was runner up for DPOY that year and hence people forget what a beast he was defensively for that season.

That year and the year before Mourning got all sorts of accolades for his defense but he could never really and even in 2000 could slow down Shaq. Shaq scored over 30 PPG and shot over 56% for his career against Mourning and even in 1999-2000, Mourning was only able to slow Shaw down to 28 PPG and 54% FG% in three games.

No, Mutonbo was the best that I remember versus Shaq.

I might have missed a game in '99-'00, but basketball-reference has them only meeting twice.  Link.  Mourning held Shaq to 22.5 points and 43.5% shooting that year (and actually outplayed him in both meetings.)

You're right in terms of their careers, but for that one snapshot in time, Mourning got the best of Shaq.

You're right. I was counting that following game in 2002 as the third game. My bad.

[Roy Hobbs]

Regardless of How many NBA Defensive Teams that Dikembe was on, he is simply not better than Hakeem Olajuwon.

Hakeem changed games.

To elaborate:

Hakeem was all over the floor chasing defenders, based off of my own memory of him, and Youtube. Dikembe was certainly a great center, but did not have mobility to guard a smaller player on the wings.

Hakeem could not, say - guard a Michael Jordan for long periods of time, but he could guard smaller players in stretches.

It comes down to what you want defensively from your center.

Hakeem had more versatility, as you said.  In terms of defending opposing centers, though, I'd give the slight edge to Dikembe.

So you'd give Dikembe the edge in defending Shaq? I love Dikembe and all Georgetown Centers, but Shaq shredded Dikembe, not Hakeem.

We just fundamentally disagree about Shaq shredding Dikembe.  nick -- who owns Shaq in this draft -- said that Dikembe was probably the best defender against Shaq.

Dikembe kept Shaq well below his career averages in their matchups, especially in Dikembe's prime.

Shaq's career stats against Dikembe:  21.5 points, 52.3% FG% (Link.)
 
Shaq's career stats against Hakeem:  22.1 points, 54.4% FG% (Link.)

I mean, nobody could really guard Shaq consistently, but in his prime, Dikembe could slow him down.

(The single best defender of prime Shaq was probably Mourning around 1999 - 2000 or so, but Mourning's prime was cut short.)

So..Hakeem could slow neither Shaq or Dikembe down?

Where did I say that?

Hakeem was a great defender.  Dikembe was just a tiny bit better, in my opinion.  Similarly, Hakeem was a great defender against Shaq, but again, Dikembe was better.

[nickagneta]

Regardless of How many NBA Defensive Teams that Dikembe was on, he is simply not better than Hakeem Olajuwon.

Hakeem changed games.

To elaborate:

Hakeem was all over the floor chasing defenders, based off of my own memory of him, and Youtube. Dikembe was certainly a great center, but did not have mobility to guard a smaller player on the wings.

Hakeem could not, say - guard a Michael Jordan for long periods of time, but he could guard smaller players in stretches.

It comes down to what you want defensively from your center.

Hakeem had more versatility, as you said.  In terms of defending opposing centers, though, I'd give the slight edge to Dikembe.

So you'd give Dikembe the edge in defending Shaq? I love Dikembe and all Georgetown Centers, but Shaq shredded Dikembe, not Hakeem.

We just fundamentally disagree about Shaq shredding Dikembe.  nick -- who owns Shaq in this draft -- said that Dikembe was probably the best defender against Shaq.

Dikembe kept Shaq well below his career averages in their matchups, especially in Dikembe's prime.

Shaq's career stats against Dikembe:  21.5 points, 52.3% FG% (Link.)
 
Shaq's career stats against Hakeem:  22.1 points, 54.4% FG% (Link.)

I mean, nobody could really guard Shaq consistently, but in his prime, Dikembe could slow him down.

(The single best defender of prime Shaq was probably Mourning around 1999 - 2000 or so, but Mourning's prime was cut short.)

So..Hakeem could slow neither Shaq or Dikembe down?

Hakeem was an outstanding defensive center. The era had a bunch of them as early Ewing was a special defensive center, Hakeem, Mourning, Dikembe, Ben Wallace, Howard, Shaq for a year or three, Ratliff for a couple years. They were all great.

But if you are going to make your case for how great Hakeem was by incorrectly stating that Shaq shredded Dikembe, you need to expect to be called out for it.

Hakeem was awesome defensively, I think he was just a slight level below Dikembe, that's all. I'm sure there are others that agree with you that Hakeem was the best. It really is that close. There is no definitive answer here like there is for best shooting guard or best player or best rebounder.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, this is speculative. At the end of the day, the votes matter, but this is all opinion.

So, based off of the voting thus far overall, Hakeem is the third best center:

1. Shaq
2. Mutumbo
3. Hakeem.

Shaq was voted all-around best center, and Mutumbo is being voted as best Defensive center.

[nickagneta]

Well, this is speculative. At the end of the day, the votes matter, but this is all opinion.

So, based off of the voting thus far overall, Hakeem is the third best center:

1. Shaq
2. Mutumbo
3. Hakeem.

Shaq was voted all-around best center, and Mutumbo is being voted as best Defensive center.

I would say Hakeem was the second best center of the era.

[Roy Hobbs]

Well, this is speculative. At the end of the day, the votes matter, but this is all opinion.

So, based off of the voting thus far overall, Hakeem is the third best center:

1. Shaq
2. Mutumbo
3. Hakeem.

Shaq was voted all-around best center, and Mutumbo is being voted as best Defensive center.

While Mutumbo may have been a better defensive center than Hakeem, I don't think anybody would have him rated over Hakeem overall.  I think Hakeem is the best center of the era, but I still have him second best in defense.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, this has definitely been a fun game..Kudos to Nick and the Panelists here.

It is making me wonder, though:

Where have all of the Old-School Centers gone?

There are some out there - Oden, Bynum, Yao. These three are just too injured for me, though. Dampier is good..Haywood is good. We know about Dwight. Perk is one of the best Defenders in the league, but not polished offensively.

Kaman and Bogut are Polished Offensively, but not known as great defenders, yet.