Who do you think is the best post player defender in the game?

yao's prescense on defense is very underrated. Ron and shane are great, but without yao, we wouldnt be as dominant at defending the paint.

 

Very true, very underrated.


I would say Kevin Garnett.

 

Yao is certainly underrated as a post defender because what he does isn't packaged into a statistic (a la Shane Battier).

... but Dwight Howard does that too and gets the statistics along the way. I've watched a few Orlando games this season when they're on TV and I have to say, the opposing teams seem terrified of going inside. Absolutely petrified. When Dwight comes out of the game, they start attacking the basket. It's really amazing how much influence he has on the game. When they do finally manage to get inside, he's there to block 'em or there to rebound the bad shot they took because of him being there.

Yao could match Dwight if he had the same ability to grab and protect the rebound and continues to look for the block more than a charge (which he's getting better at with Dikembe's watchful eye). Too many times though, when rebounding, I merely see Yao tip the ball around instead of going up and grabbing it. If you watch Luis/Carl/Chuck, they grab the rebound. I hardly ever see Yao do that.

Anyway, long story short, Dwight is a better defender than Yao in the post. Duncan and KG are better at help defense (especially KG), not really post-up defense, I think.

 

Dwight absolutely murders offensive sets and he doesn't have a truly discernible weakness on defense like Yao does (i.e switching on high pick and rolls). you gotta tip this one to Dwight.

Other people I'd consider...

Pryzbilla
Perkins
our very own Chuckie Hayes

 

Orlando is 4th best in fewest inside shot attempts, and 1st in lowest FG% on inside shots. By comparison, Houston is 6th best in fewest inside shot attempts, and 12th in lowest FG% on inside shots. San Antonio is 3rd and 5th, respectively.

Granted, Dwight Howard has better shot blockers backing him up. But based on that, its hard not to pick Dwight Howard. If not him, Tim Duncan.

That's in terms of protecting the basket. As for post defense, I'd give an edge to Yao.

 

Kevin Garnett or Chuck Hayes

 

Yao is a better post defender than Dwight, Dwight is the better overall defender than Yao.

Difference is Dwight is clearly the better shot blocker and big guys need to be better at shot blocking than defending the post. That's the main reason why Dwight is the DPOY.

The best post defender in the NBA is either Duncan, Pryzbilla or Yao. I would probably go with Duncan just because of experience in the playoffs.

 

unless the guy yao is guarding is carlos boozer

 

Haven't watched him a lot lately, but Josh Smith would scare the crap out of me if I was driving in the lane. But I don't know if he's a good post-up defender or if he's one of those shot blockers like Camby who is actually a poor P.U.D.

Here's the ones on my list:

Kendrick Perkins
Dwight Howard
Tim Duncan
Kevin Garnett
Kurt Thomas
Deke
Kenyon Martin
A motivated Shaq
Chuck Hayes
Joel Pryzbilla
Jeff Foster
Varejao (the few times when he's not flopping)
Udonis Haslem (although he might have tailed off- he did great in the 2006 Finals)
Eduardo Najera (the "PIA" factor)
Tyson Chandler (again, haven't watched him lately)

 

CHUCK HAYES

 

Don't want to sound like a homer here but I have to go with the Chuck Wagon

 

Chuck Hayes and it's not close.

 

What's the point of having a post defender, if he isn't even a threat to block a shot.

I would go with Yao, Duncan and Pryzbilla, some may be limited but they still can defend very well in the post.

 

Chuck Hayes 6'6", but for his height he is a still great unrated defender.

 

I'm a little confused on what the question is. Are we talking about 'who is the best defender of the paint' or 'who is the best defender of a post player'.

Yao is really good at controlling the paint but if we're talking about containing a particular post player he isn't even the best on his own team (obviously, Chuck is).

 

To a degree, it depends on which opponent you are defending.

Overall, though I'd have to say Garnett and Duncan because they are good against a variety of opponents.

 

Pryzbilla is really underrated. I might pick him, and to think the rockets drafted him.

 

When healthy: Andrew Bynum

Right now it's a tie between Joel Przybilla and Dwight Howard.

 

Bynum? Haha, well you are a Lakers fan so I don't blame you

Dwight Howard is an average man to man and post defender. His shot blocking is what makes him elite, he kind of reminds me of a much more athletic and explosive Marcus Camby, only on defense though.