Karl Malone names Shaq and Barkley as the two worst pick and roll defenders ever.

[Kblaze8855]

.

“The ‘pick & roll’ is designed to put the pressure on people who didn’t want to play it. Yeah, I am naming names right here. Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley were the absolute worst big men who ever played the ‘pick & roll’! And we loved it, coming down the stretch, then you threw them in the ‘pick & roll’ because they didn’t want to play it.”
Karl Malone, via NBA TV (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US-h15qVBCc)

[Kblaze8855]

In context:



https://youtu.be/US-h15qVBCc

[Kblaze8855]

Not all that pick and roll related but amusing anyway....




https://youtu.be/3IK21NgYHC4


Shaq got some work from Karl that game.

[warriorfan]

I made a great thread that got deleted in the 2016 purging of the forum. I rewatched an old Barkley game from his prime with the suns and I documented every defensive possession from him for the first quarter.

It was.....horrific. I thought it was going to be bad but it ended up far worse. Charles Barkley is hands down the worst defender I’ve ever seen in the NBA and it’s not even close. It’s a pure effort and mindset thing. There are times where he won’t even run up the court.....at all. He just is hanging out off camera while his team plays 4 on 5. It’s insane.

[Kblaze8855]

No star is likely the worst anything they just get more attention. Like someone trying to find every defensive mistake for a whole game. Nobody would bother for Lee Nailon or John Lucas the third.

[warriorfan]

No star is likely the worst anything they just get more attention. Like someone trying to find every defensive mistake for a whole game. Nobody would bother for Lee Nailon or John Lucas the third.

I’m on board with this train of thought with everyone except Charles Barkley. He was really that bad.

[tpols]

well... they'd have some trouble today then thats for sure because every team spams it.

[Kblaze8855]

I’m on board with this train of thought with everyone except Charles Barkley. He was really that bad.

Nah he just had long bouts of not giving a shit. He was too physically gifted to be the worst though. Too many others also didn’t give a shit but didn’t have the gifts to make up for it when they chose. Like Sam Cassell when he got old.

[warriorfan]

Nah he just had long bouts of not giving a shit. He was too physically gifted to be the worst though. Too many others also didn’t give a shit but didn’t have the gifts to make up for it when they chose. Like Sam Cassell when he got old.

Sorry, you don’t get points for coulda wouldas, defense is an effort thing, and he gave zero. An average talented guy who busts his ass every play will always be a much better defender than the athletically gifted guy who couldn’t care less.

Barkley’s talent is actually what allowed him to be the worst defender of all time. If he wasn’t so extraordinarily talented and such a gifted offensive player....he would never of been allowed the long, long, long, leash that coaches and organizations gave to him. If Barkley tried that nonsense as an average player he would be out of there so fast it would make your head spin.

It’s unfortunate that Barkley basically took advantage of teams doing this. It is a true sign of immaturity. Barkley is still a fundamentally immature person. That is why he is such a great character and is so funny. But it also held him back from unlocking his true potential as a basketball player.

[Kblaze8855]

Your basic problem is this...

Yes average + effort beats a great slacker. But we are talking about hundreds of average slackers vs a great slacker. If asked which car is faster between a dodge caravan going 30 and a Porsche going 30.....its not hard to answer. The one that potentially could go faster is your pick for "faster car".

There are untold numbers of garbage players not playing defense. The stars not playing D arent worse. Just more damaging due to the minutes they play. If you wanna look at it that way....thats another story.

[goozeman]

Funnily enough though, Barkley's career DRtg is still right there tied with guys like Bosh, Durant, Butler, etc. Barkley was certainly a better defender than guys like Carmelo and Kevin Love.

[Carbine]

I watched Barkley in the '91 playoffs against the Bulls and his defense was actually good.

[FireDavidKahn]

Malone is one of the worst people so ever play in the NBA, so..........

[Whoah10115]

I saw Karl tell this story actually.

Shaq is worse, because Shaq assumes the role of C and gives up a lot near the rim. But he got lost there a little less than Charles.

In his last three seasons in Philly Barkley was playing mostly SF, so was much less an issue. With the Suns he wasn't nearly as bad, especially in MVP year.

[getting_old]

Malone was one of the worst players in the last 3 minutes of any game considered clutch, so he can make these pronouncements.

[SilverMamba]

Obviously as Shaq got older he was slower and more lazy to go to the perimeter and defend

As a young Orlando Shaq he was pretty good at the pick and roll defense

I disagree

[eliteballer]

In context:



https://youtu.be/US-h15qVBCc

This is great stuff from Karl on all the little nuances of basketball.