What is the best defense we have seen?

[72-10]

I wonder how good those Celtics teams defenses were.

[superduper]

2019 Playoffs, Toronto Raptors.

[Bosnian Sajo]

06-07 Spurs??? Not the 2003 team?


In my lifetime, mid 2000's Pistons...but you gotta put up the historic teams, too.


I don't think any team has an argument over the 60's Celtics when it comes to best defenses.

[Prometheus]

Easily the mid 00s Pistons

[LostCause]

The Russell Celtics have the best defenses all-time and it's nor particularly close. I didn't "see" those though

I use rDRTG to judge defenses, since it works across era's as you literally measure how strong a defense is relative to league average of the time. Generally, historically great defenses check out at -8.0 rDRTG or better. Very few have reached that level though. We've only seen a couple of these since the 90s. In no order:

08 Celtics (-8.6)
93 Knicks (-8.3)
94 Knicks (-8.1)
04 Spurs (-8.8)
*Pistons of 04 were at -7.7

[Gougou]

Yeah the very early 63-64 Celtics had the best defense.

[SouBeachTalents]

2000's Pistons winning in a landslide unsurprisingly

[Nikola_]

whichever my favourite player went up against and didnt do well, or even better, did well

[SouBeachTalents]

2008-10 Celtics deserve a mention. LeBron & Kobe really had their struggles against them, came within a hair of beating them both twice

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Those Mid 2000 Pacer teams were good on defense too.

Along with Detroit, they held plenty of teams in the 80s.

But yeah ... My "vote" goes to the 2004 Pistons.

[iamgine]

'99 twin tower Spurs and '16 Spurs deserve a mention.

[NBAGOAT]

I mightbtake knicks over pistons if it was a multi year stretch based on rdrtg like lost mentioned. 04 pistons are goat lvl however, rdrtg undersells then because they got Rasheed mid season

[Smook A.]

The mid-2000s Pistons. It's a no-brainer

[stalkerforlife]

Kobe.

[Bosnian Sajo]

I dont like this poll at all tho.

You give 3 teams a period of time while you limit the bulls and spurs to 1 specific season each. If you said early-mid 2000s spurs I bet they'd get more votes..

[Carbine]

The best defense I've seen was the Chicago Bulls of 96 when they had Jordan, Pippen, Rodman and Harper out there.

[Carbine]

Just to elaborate on that a little further, you had three big time perimeter defenders on could guard a variety of play styles and Rodman who could guard Shaq to Malone to Kemp, etc. Nobody was a bad matchup for them because of Rodman ability to defend the post as well as perimeter oriented bigs.

[Manny98]

96 Bulls as a option :oldlol:

Does the MJ c*cksucking ever stop on this forum:rolleyes:

[superduper]

96 Bulls as a option :oldlol:

Does the MJ c*cksucking ever stop on this forum:rolleyes:

*Born in '98*

[BarberSchool]

The Russell Celtics have the best defenses all-time and it's nor particularly close. I didn't "see" those though

I use rDRTG to judge defenses, since it works across era's as you literally measure how strong a defense is relative to league average of the time. Generally, historically great defenses check out at -8.0 rDRTG or better. Very few have reached that level though. We've only seen a couple of these since the 90s. In no order:

08 Celtics (-8.6)
93 Knicks (-8.3)
94 Knicks (-8.1)
04 Spurs (-8.8)
*Pistons of 04 were at -7.708 Celtics probably had best frontline rotational/help defense of all time, but Era wasn't physical, if it was ... Garnett's 218lbs would have been a liability, and his light feet would not have been worth anywhere near as much.

I give those knicks teams the edge since they were as physically brutal as late 80's pistons, but nearly as disciplined positionally as 00's spurs squads. From an era where hand checking was legal, hard paint fouls were not flagrants/ejections. Eastern Conference playoffs in early to mid-90's was a special time for defensive basketball.

[72-10]

I dont like this poll at all tho.

You give 3 teams a period of time while you limit the bulls and spurs to 1 specific season each. If you said early-mid 2000s spurs I bet they'd get more votes..

I think it's pretty clear that the 95-96 Bulls' defense was better than that of those other Bulls teams, even 96-97, which would be second, and therefore I chose that as the poll option...

[BarberSchool]

I think it's pretty clear that the 95-96 Bulls' defense was better than that of those other Bulls teams, even 96-97, which would be second, and therefore I chose that as the poll option...Yeah 4th title Bulls still had Jordan at near peak athleticism and effort, fresher pippen with something to prove/redeem, less hungover Harper, more motivated first time champions, etc.

Kidd's defensive coaching was birthed by his frustration with the size/length/footspeed of that bulls squad's perimeter/passing-lane defense. Incredibly frustrating and versatile perimeter team and iso defense.

[Vino24]

Mid 2000

[72-10]

Yeah 4th title Bulls still had Jordan at near peak athleticism and effort, fresher pippen with something to prove/redeem, less hungover Harper, more motivated first time champions, etc.

Kidd's defensive coaching was birthed by his frustration with the size/length/footspeed of that bulls squad's perimeter/passing-lane defense. Incredibly frustrating and versatile perimeter team and iso defense.

Thanks. There's no question it was the 1995-96 Bulls, though.

[Vino24]

Thanks. There's no question it was the 1995-96 Bulls, though.
Nope 2000

[72-10]

[QUOTE=Vino24]Nope 2000

[fsvr54]

04 Pistons are the GOAT defensive squad.

[MrFonzworth]

04 Pistons are the GOAT defensive squad.
This.

[Manny98]

And LeBron beat those mid 2000s Pistons in 6 games :bowdown: :bowdown:

[imdaman99]

And LeBron beat those mid 2000s Pistons in 6 games :bowdown: :bowdown:
Wade beat them first :bowdown: #ShowedThemTheWay :bowdown:

[Wally450]

The 2004 Pistons held teams under 65 points so many times it was ridiculous.

[Bosnian Sajo]

Thanks. There's no question it was the 1995-96 Bulls, though.

Right, but if you're gonna pick only the 95-96 bulls season, don't say mid 2000s Pistons, pick out 1 specific year.


It's about consistency.


It's as if I asked a math question and gave 4 different answers..A and B are both 1 specific number while C and D give a range of numbers lol. Do you follow?

[LostCause]

I mightbtake knicks over pistons if it was a multi year stretch based on rdrtg like lost mentioned. 04 pistons are goat lvl however, rdrtg undersells then because they got Rasheed mid season

There's truth to this. If we go by their rDRTG after attaining Wallace, it comes out to -12.4 over 28 games. Regardless you can tell how profound Sheed's defensive impact was for them - prior to him getting there they were at -3.8

[DaHeezy]

Bad Boys Pistons and Chuck Daly revolutionized defense. Best defensive team ever