Who's the better player? Battier, Posey, Bowen, or Udoka

the results of this poll make me sad. congrats to anybody who didn't vote for battier.

 

Battier is the best overall IMO. You know exactly what you will get from him every night defensively. He guards SGs as well as the largest SFs. You also know his corner 3 is very reliable. There is value in his consistency.

Posey has the highest upside. He is built to be an elite defender and if he had Battier's composure and maturity he would be all NBA defense first or second team every year. His offensive game is more versatile than the other guys but is also inconsistent. I would love to have this guy on the floor in big games.

Bowen is obviously the most well-known of these defenders. He is also the most one-dimensional. He's the best in the league at fighting through screens thanks to his somewhat smaller but wiry body. He is a jump shooter's nightmare. If I'm playing a team with Ray Allen or Rip Hamilton I'll take Bowen as my defender. On the flipside, he gets eaten alive by bigger players or guys with good handles. .

Udoka - who?

 

can't say i'm surprised by results of this poll. if we were on the spurs message board the votes for battier and bowen would be completely reversed.

 

Why are people saying that Udoka doesn't belong? When he started and got 28.6 minutes a game in Portland last year, he put up numbers that are very comparable to Battier on a per minute basis. Based on that, if Udoka played Battier's hefty 36.3 minutes per game, he would put up...

10.7 points (9.3 for Battier)
4.7 rebounds (5.1 for Battier)
1.0 steals (1.0 for Battier)
0.3 blocks (1.1 for Battier)

Aside from the blocks, that is almost identical production. Not to mention that this year Udoka had far better per minute production than Battier, although he played only 18 minutes a game (behind Bowen). Furthermore, they have nearly identical career shooting %'s as well.

Battier: .450 FG, .389 3pt, .747 FT
Udoka: .443 FG, .389 3pt, .732 FT

I'm not saying Udoka is the better player, because I don't think that. What I do think is that Udoka definitely belongs in this list. If he weren't playing behind Bruce Bowen, everyone would clearly see that.

 

All of these players are valued for their perimeter defense. "Production" isn't their role, and "production" isn't a good metric by which to compare them. Defensively, Battier is on a level above today's Bowen and Posey, who are on a level above Udoka.

 

Far better per minute production? Shane's PER was 11.6 while Udoka's was 11.5 Shane, of course, is a superior defender.

 

Two reasons. Most value some nebulous concept called "intangibles" more than they watch non-Rocket games. And secondly, they don't factor in the value and cost differences between an MLE contract of $1.1m.year (Udoka) and a #8 Lottery pick.

 

I typed that incorrectly. I meant to say far better per minute production than his previous season (the one I used for the comparison). I didn't mean to say far better than Battier.

And again, I'm not arguing that Udoka is a better defender or overall player than Battier. That doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered in this same group of players.

 

It's not all about stats.. if it were then Marbury used to be one of the best players in the NBA

 

artest, marion?

 

You're right. I've never seen Udoka play. In fact, if I ever cite stats for any player ever again, just assume I've never seen that guy play either.

 

Where's Raja Bell

 

Umm did you see Udoka against the Lakers, he looked scared to shoot and when he did it was no where near the rim in one of those games.

 

I don't know...this is a tough one to call between Posey and Battier.

Many of you argue that Battier is more consistent, but the poll is about better PLAYER right. In that case, I'd vote for Posey (which I did).

Battier has better defense, and is more consistent. But Posey gives you that something extra. Some nights he looks like a legit 3rd scoring option. And he can create for himself to an extent, something that Battier can't do very well. And since we're talking about better PLAYER here, I think that attribute is more important than the edge that Battier's defense and consistency has.

Put it this way...in a game of 1v1, Battier vs Posey, who would be more likely to win? It has to be Posey IMO, but just by a hair.

 

Posey is the far superior player of those mentioned. He is easily the best offensive and defensive player of the poll group.

Bowen comes next, although Battier is sneaking up but only because of age. If they were the same age, I'd take Bowen every time.

Udoka is the worst of the bunch but the least costly. When contract cost is factored in, he approaches Battier on bang for the buck.

 

To those with the idea Battier is better than Posey, turn off channel 0. Posey is a better player. He's a big shot taker and maker. He's tougher by far (see clothesline on hinrich and the bloc on fisher after the whistle) and will fill the wing on the break. I wonder why Kobe avg 35 against houston during shanes tenure, but 27 before his arrival. Shane is solid, but Posey is just better. Not only that, posey,bowen,and udoka only cost u 4 mil or so while Battier cost a player, and a lotto pick.

 

If this poll was up before the finals happened, then Battier would win this poll more overwhelmingly than he is now. I remember considering Posey as a one-dimensional washed-up player with above average defense when he was in Miami. He obviously stepped up his game for the Finals, so that now he can get paid that 4-year 25 mil contract. Posey is being way overrated for that ONE good series he had against the Lakers.

Bowen is even more of a offensive liability and is older than Battier is.

And I believe Udoka was the guy the Spurs got to "replace" Bowen after their first replacement option, Shane Battier, went to the Rockets. Check this is I'm wrong.

But one thing I'm pretty sure of; Tayshaun Prince is the best defender at his position (you can't teach height and length) and a way more rounded offensive player.

 

!What!, Bowen does not come next, Bowen is the most overrated player on the damn list and Spurs fans even thought Udoka had a better defensive year last year.

Bowen making first team defense over Battier last season was a damn crime......how the hell anyone can make a case for Bowen being better than Battier is beyond me, I can't even understand how the guy has 8 first place votes....it's just stupidity.

 

Hell now he has 12 votes Either we have Spurs fans logging on this board, or just Rocket fans that didn't watch Bowen play last season.

 

Yes I'm a Rockets fan, I like what Shane is doing and I think that he is the best on the list.

But If I was in some case fan of other NBA club, I wouldn't vote for Battier because I wouldn't see so many games of him.

I think that Shane is the player that quietly makes a name for himself, like a good quiet kid in a class, that's why he's so special, not to talk about his dedication of defensive floor.

Stats don't tell you everything about the player and Shane's not a stats guy but he makes whatever team he is on a much better squad.