Top 5 defenses of all time?

[SHAQisGOAT]

I'mma go with a top10, in no particular order...

'04 Pistons
'89 Pistons
'96 Bulls
'79 Sonics
'65 Celtics
'94 Knicks
'08 Celtics
'70 Knicks
'04 Spurs
'75 Bullets

[D-Wade316]

Many of the teams listed are spectacular defensively, but holy f[COLOR="Black"]u[/COLOR]ck people underrate the 60s Celtics so much.

There's a reason why the dominated an entire decade and won 8 in a row.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...rpage=25#gid=3

% are based on league average
64 Celtics - -11.8%
65 Celtics - -10.6%
63 Celtics - -8.8%
62 Celtics - -8.7%
61 Celtics - -8.1%


Meanwhile
08 Celtics - -8.2%
94 Knicks - -7.8%
93 Knicks - -8%
96 Bulls - -5.6%
04 Pistons - -7.5%(better after the Rasheed trade)
04 Spurs - -8.8%

No teams since then have been as good defensively as Russell's Celtics.

[D-Wade316]

Nobody comes close to the early 60s Celtics, perhaps only the 04 Pistons since acquiring Rasheed.

[Alamо]

Not convinced there isn't a top 5 defense which didn't win the championship in their season.

04 Spurs

Even with the NBA as a whole struggling to score points during the 2003-04 season, the San Antonio Spurs were just that good. In fact, they're the best post-merger defense, narrowly beating out the 2007-08 Boston Celtics, the Detroit Pistons from this same season and the Patrick Ewing-led New York Knicks.

[warriorfan]

I don't want to debate with you main forumers.

Bulls were the best team on offense and on defense in 1996 which shows utter domination on both sides of the floor.

Pistons were the 2nd best team on defense and 18th in the league on offense AND 24th in the league in pace in 2004 which shows an easier route to those low opponent point totals.

Michael Jordan- better wing defender than any wing defender on the Pistons
Scottie Pippen- better wing defender than any wing defender on the Pistons
Dennis Rodman- better multi-positional defender than any multi-positional defender on the Pistons

I'm done with you idiots. Go back talking about Lebron and Kobe.

You don't have to get so defensive.

It's closer than you think. It's cute how you left out Ben Wallace and Rasheed off of your list. You bring up wing defense and "multi positional defender" but you don't bring up rim protection and help defense which are 2 huge factors for a team's defensive strength where the Pistons are superior.

[D-Wade316]

04 Spurs

04 Spurs are #4 defensively all-time in the regular season and playoffs combined. 60s Celtics occupy the 1-3 and 5 spot.

[juju151111]

It's best Defense people not team.
1. 93/94 Knicks
2. 04 Pistons
3.05 Spurs
4.96 Bulls
5. 08 Celtics

[juju151111]

Many of the teams listed are spectacular defensively, but holy f[COLOR="Black"]u[/COLOR]ck people underrate the 60s Celtics so much.

There's a reason why the dominated an entire decade and won 8 in a row.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...rpage=25#gid=3

% are based on league average
64 Celtics - -11.8%
65 Celtics - -10.6%
63 Celtics - -8.8%
62 Celtics - -8.7%
61 Celtics - -8.1%


Meanwhile
08 Celtics - -8.2%
94 Knicks - -7.8%
93 Knicks - -8%
96 Bulls - -5.6%
04 Pistons - -7.5%(better after the Rasheed trade)
04 Spurs - -8.8%

No teams since then have been as good defensively as Russell's Celtics.

I think people just sometimesdon't count the 60s because of 3 points line and how the game was completely different.

[D-Wade316]

I think people just sometimesdon't count the 60s because of 3 points line and how the game was completely different.

I disagree. Champions of years past were not 3-point oriented. Only the 15 Warriors, TBH, have won primarily being jump shooters. So the 60s Celtics may have to do few adjustments to defend the 3-point line, but regardless their defense would stay the same. Even looking at their roster, every single player is awesome defensively.

The 80s Lakers are considered one of the greatest offenses of all-time, yet they never cracked 10+ 3PA for the entire decade.

[juju151111]

I disagree. Champions of years past were not 3-point oriented. Only the 15 Warriors, TBH, have won primarily being jump shooters. So the 60s Celtics may have to do few adjustments to defend the 3-point line, but regardless their defense would stay the same. Even looking at their roster, every single player is awesome defensively.

The 80s Lakers are considered one of the greatest offenses of all-time, yet they never cracked 10+ 3PA for the entire decade.

No it wouldn't be simple to learn how to the defend the 3 and pick and rolls thats heavytoday.

[D-Wade316]

No it wouldn't be simple to learn how to the defend the 3 and pick and rolls thats heavytoday.

Nah. The 11 Bulls and 13 Pacers were great at defending the 3 and PnR. Memphis including. None of their personnel is as good as the Celtics. They would translate fine today.

[LAZERUSS]

Anyone of the Bucks teams from '70-71 thru '73-74.

[riseagainst]

You don't have to get so defensive.

It's closer than you think. It's cute how you left out Ben Wallace and Rasheed off of your list. You bring up wing defense and "multi positional defender" but you don't bring up rim protection and help defense which are 2 huge factors for a team's defensive strength where the Pistons are superior.

that guy is retarded as hell.