As a basketball player, would you rather be a lock-down defender or the main scorer?

scorer.

I'd rather be a Harden than a Tony Allen.

 

Scorer.

Chicks dig the long ball.

 

I'll take defender if it can be quantified, like 5 steals and 5 blocks per game. I'd also like press recognition, but only from actual "pundits" or basketball people.

 

You get paid the big bucks when you can put it in the hole.

 

Little bias, but I prefer lock-down defender. Man vs. man, you are shutting him down, imtimidating him, getting into his head. I take joy in giving people goose eggs in the scoreboard. Nothing is more embarrassing for the offensive player, and gives more joy to the defensive player. Heck, at that point, might as well take his girl sitting court side, to whom he was bragging that he would "go off tonight". Not today buddy, not today. You will fear when playing against me, your body language will become dejected when you see me on you. If you score, I will be the first to remind you that you were lucky it was on a fast break.

I was once watching somebody I know very well play, a 6'6 defensive menace with long arms and quick feet. Built too. At the end of the game, their top scorer had the ball with an iso for the game-winning shot. I knew he wasn't going to make the shot, if he even got it off. The coach was kind of stupid, and put other people to guard him whom he (wrongly) thought were better defenders, and watched the scorer go off for 20 points in the first half. Coach finally had an epiphany, "hey, lets put the mobile/quick 6'6 guy on the scorer (who was 6'1) in the second half!". Scorer didn't even get a shot off. He got stripped four times in the second half. So when the game-winning possession happened, the scorer had the most dejected, fearful body language and face I had ever seen for somebody taking the game-winning shot. What happened next? Got ripped again. Rumor has it the scorer's girlfriend dumped him a couple days later.

But when one is the top 0.00000001% of players, the big bucks go to the guy who can score. I'll take the odds that I won't be the top 0.00000001% of players.

 

This game has been, and always will be, about buckets

 

One gets paid. And one gets PAID.

Would you want to be Tony Allen / prime Tayshaun Prince / Battier / Beverley? Or Kevin Martin / James Harden / Arron Afflalo?

 

I typically guarded the other team's best scorer 'back in the day.'

 

That's like a an 8 to 10 million difference...

You gotta go with being the scorer, even then, an increase in effort can make you decent defensively. But if you don't have scoring skills, then you're screwed.

 

Personally I prefer the minimalist approach on offense, sticking with more of a slasher/ shooter role than opt for iso's, post-ups. When there's a potential pick near by, I use it, and pass/shoot out of it without much handling.

Defence is more fun in my opinion. You learn alot more about how to score by trying to prevent it. Also as long as I'm not mismatched, I can always get great position for contests and blocks.

 

I already love playing defense so I go with defense.

 

The NBA pays if you can score...defense is an added bonus

 

Score cuz I want the honeys :grin:

 

Scorer. Without a doubt.

 

There's no actual thing as a "lockdown" defender though. I didn't see PG locking down Lebron in the finals or vice versa. They had the series of their lives. I didn't see either of them slowing down KD.

Rules are pretty unfair on the defender to the point where individual defense is overrated. It's more about team defensive strategy imo. I'd be irate every time I got called for a foul for barely touching someone. That **** wouldn't be fun.

 

While defense is important, scoring is just more fun.

 

Scorer - they score the long dollar.

DD

 

Defense still wins championships.

 

Everybody assumes they would be in the NBA... but only the best of the best are able to make it. I would answer the question with the assumption that I will not be in the NBA, because the odds heavily favor that outcome. Therefore, money is not involved.