Suns all time defensive team

[Duke of Oysters]

Does anyone have suggestions on how to fill this team?

First Team:
Jason Kidd
Raja Bell
Shawn Marion

Second Team:
Dennis Johnson
Dan Majerle
Grant Hill?


Have the Suns ever had an elite interior defensive player?

Who would be the Suns best big men defenders? I'm thinking Larry Nance or Cliff Robinson? Maybe Maurice Lucas? Kurt Thomas? Centerwise could our best center have been Mark West?

This is kind of sad.

 

[dodie53]

Sir Charles?
idk

 

[HooverDam]

KJ and KT should both be on the team somewhere for sure.

 

[Covert Rain]

Shaq at Center. Even at his age. That tells you how thin we have been at that position....oh....since...forever.

 

[Gaddabout]

Shaq at Center. Even at his age. That tells you how thin we have been at that position....oh....since...forever.

No way. Andrew Lang provided more consistent defense than Shaq has as a Sun.

My list:

FIRST TEAM
PG: Dennis Johnson - Was the premier defensive PG of his era
SG: Joe Johnson - Not quick, but very physical
SF: Larry Nance - Outstanding defender if he could have played SF in PHX
PF: Maurice Lucas - Meanest SOB ever to wear a Suns uniform
C: Alvan Adams - Best center on best defensive team in NBA in early 80s. Adams was savvy and was a league-leader in steals at his position.

SECOND TEAM
PG: Jason Kidd - Just physically gifted. Built like a safety.
SG: Penny Hardaway - Look it up -- in late 90s, when healthy, he was a solid defender at the 2 next to Kj.
SF: Shawn Marion - Pound for pound, best rebounder Suns have ever had
PF: Truck Robinson - Best DEFENSIVE rebounder ever to wear a Suns uniform
C: Oliver Miller - Say what you want, but before Big O discovered jelly donuts, he was a blocking machine and regularly on the leaderboard for blocks per minute.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Shaq at Center. Even at his age. That tells you how thin we have been at that position....oh....since...forever.

I'm guessing you walk away from the television when the opposing team runs a pick and roll. Shaq is very poor defensively, he really only takes up space which has become less valuable in the current NBA game in which many 5's can play on the perimeter.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm guessing you walk away from the television when the opposing team runs a pick and roll. Shaq is very poor defensively, he really only takes up space which has become less valuable in the current NBA game in which many 5's can play on the perimeter.

How many teams even run the pick and roll effectively? Even when they do it's not like it accounts for a very high percentage of teams overall points. The Suns are #4 in paint defense with Shaq. We were bottom feeders before he got here. I would say #4 in the paint is significant in todays' game. You can thank our guards for allowing dribble penetration and bad rotations for our bad defense.

Shaq's poor pick and roll defense and it's impact are vastly overstated. Shaq's is still a very good defender despite his short cummings on the pick and roll. He has a good defensive PER at Center in the NBA.

 

[mojorizen7]

Mark West deserves consideration.

 

[goldseraph]

This is like a 'hottest chick at fat camp' contest

 

[mojorizen7]

This is like a 'hottest chick at fat camp' contest

LOL....For sure.

 

[Cody]

randy brown!!!!!!!!! why didn't anyone put him?!?!?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

No Ced Ceballos? Man, all that guy ever cared about was defense and rebounding. I just wish he was more aggressive offensively.

 

[Errntknght]

No Ced Ceballos? Man, all that guy ever cared about was defense and rebounding. I just wish he was more aggressive offensively.

I agree, Chris... whats wrong with all these people. Amare is missing, too! Cut out of the same cloth as Ced!

 

[Errntknght]

I like your list Gaddabout... though, I wouldn't put Alvan Adams at the top of the list of centers, sorry as it is. Oliver Miller was a good all around defender and very good at defending the pick and roll, particularly if you wanted to trap the guard. Still I think I'd have to go with Mark West as our best defensive center... he kept more guys from getting to their preferred spot than anyone else. IIRC, he picked up an occasional foul doing it...

JJ is an interesting choice - I wouldn't have thought of him but you're probably right. Nobody could back him down or shoot over him and he could switch onto virtually anyone and not give up an advantage. You didn't see him doing too much because few guys even challenged him on the down low. He wasn't in Raja's class when it came to chasing guys all over the floor around myriad screens - ala Reggie and Rip.

Penny was a smart defender but I remember him getting burned by just about anyone who could go both left and right. Now, if the guy could only go one direction then Penny could give him fits. I'd definitely put Raja as one of our top two SG defenders.

 

[Bufalay]

Dirty Kurt!

 

[goldseraph]

Joe Kleine or Danny 'Hairy Shoulders' Schayes

 

[khilari]

According to Cotton, Tim Perry was his best defensive player.

 

[Mulli]

Kareem just scored on Alvin Adams again.

 

[Mulli]

I agree, Chris... whats wrong with all these people. Amare is missing, too! Cut out of the same cloth as Ced!

Tom Chambers and Ced could really take over games with the defense and rebounding. Excellent choices.

 

[BC867]

Kareem just scored on Alvin Adams again.

Every Laker in the starting lineup except the 2 and 3 -- Byron Scott and Silk Wilkes --weighed more than our Center Alvan Adams.

And no one had skinnier arms.

I wouldn't put a 212 lb. Center on our all-defensive team, let alone the top Center.

And on offense, he played at the top of the key, nowhere near the basket.

But Adams build stats based on longevity when his former college coach drafted him while Suns coach and forced Power Forwards to cover the Center position.

Now as far as overseeing the engineers who built the arena, I'd put him on the first team. Hey, maybe he should have worn a hard hat while playing.