How Vital Is It to Have an All-Defensive Player If You Want to Win a Title?

[LooseCannon]

Since 1975-1976, this is the list of NBA teams who have won the title without a player being named first or second team NBA All-Defensive (not necessarily a big man).

1977-78 Washington Bullets (Bob Dandridge was first team All-Defensive the following season)
1980-81 Boston Celtics (ML Carr, Larry Bird, and Kevin McHale were future or former selections)
1994-95 Houston Rockets (the previous and following season were among the 9 selections for Hakeem Olajuwon, the previous season's Defensive Player of the Year)
2005-06 Miami Heat (Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade were former and/or future selections...so were part-timers Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning)

If you want to narrow it even further, then only one team (the 1980-81 Celtics) has ever won a title without a player who was either first or second team All-Defensive in that season or the previous/following season.  Wierdos.

If you think I'm inviting comparison to the argument that the Celtics need a player drafted in the top five to win a title, you'd be right.

[Eja117]

I have nothing to say but TP. I never thought of this

[Mazingerz]

Why not create a cross-analysis between having a NBA 1st team defensive player and a top 5 pick player in a championship squad?

Can it be separated as well ? A defensive stud and a top lottery pick?

[CelticsFan9]

Absolutely.  And it's not just one guy.  A team needs to have sound team-defense in order to win.

Look at the Spurs and Heat.  Clearly, both had players that played as a strong defensive unit on the floor, helping each other out with great rotations and trapping at the right time.

Defense wins championships.

[jambr380]

So I guess we should hang on to Avery...interesting analysis.

[LooseCannon]

Why not create a cross-analysis between having a NBA 1st team defensive player and a top 5 pick player in a championship squad?

Can it be separated as well ? A defensive stud and a top lottery pick?

I suppose it could, but that would be too much work.

[CelticConcourse]

Of course you need All-Defensive players

[action781]

This is a very interesting thought!  I like it.

1994-95 Houston Rockets (the previous and following season were among the 9 selections for Hakeem Olajuwon, the previous season's Defensive Player of the Year)

Hakeem was probably the best defender in the league that postseason despite the snub.  He absolutely shut down MVP David Robinson holding him to below average scoring and under 50% shooting in 4/6 games.

2005-06 Miami Heat (Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade were former and/or future selections...so were part-timers Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning)

Also, this team had James Posey who was a very good defender.  His level of defense was close to good enough for all-defensive team honors, but he just never logged enough minutes to gain serious enough consideration.

[lightspeed5]

people are so quick to want to get rid of avery, they dont realize that defense truly wins championships.

[lightspeed5]

people are so quick to want to get rid of avery or rondo, they dont realize that defense truly wins championships.

even green and bass in specific cases are above average defenders

[diconzo]

I hope we can keep Rondo/Bradley back court together. That's a lot of defensive pressure for any other back court to go against. Would be even more imposing with an elite shot blocker at the rim. Only question is whether he's in the draft or on a different team.