Rank the Top Defensive Teams of the 2000s

[Leetonidas]

1. 2004 Pistons
2. 2003 Spurs
3. 2005 Spurs
4. 2005 Pistons
5. 2008 Celtics



I'd go to ten but my mind is escaping me right now, help me out guys

[midnightpulp]

Can't argue with those 5 and their order.

[Leetonidas]

I'd give honorable mention to our beloved 2004 Spurs. I believe they held the record for lowest OPPG in the regular season.

[TheKingOfMIA6]

08 Cs

[BullsDynasty]

08 Celtics should be up there. I don't think I've ever seen a team successfully contain Kobe as good as the Celtics did...

[resistanze]

1. 2004 Pistons
2. 2008 Celtics
3. 2003 Spurs
4. 2005 Spurs
5. 2005 Pistons

[gaKNOW!blee]

lol mavs

[InRareForm]

1. 2004 Pistons
2. 2005 Spurs
3. 2008 Celtics
4. 2003 Spurs
5. 2005 Pissedons

[ynh]

1. 2004 Pistons
2. 2004 Pacers
3. 2008 Celtics
4. 2003 Spurs
5. 2005 Spurs

[Amuseddaysleeper]

08 Celtics should be up there. I don't think I've ever seen a team successfully contain Kobe as good as the Celtics did...

2004 Pistons, imo.


And yeah, 2004 Spurs were definitely the best defensively of all the Spurs teams.

[PGDynasty24]

1-2008 celtics
2-2004 pistons

[scanry]

08 Celtics should be up there. I don't think I've ever seen a team successfully contain Kobe as good as the Celtics did...

Try the 2004 Pistons! Heck even the 2010 Celtics shut him down. How on earth do you go 6-24 and win a game. :wow

The 2004 Pistons literally shut Kobe and they did it in style. :wow Kobe's FG % was like 35. However Kobe was literally alienating his teammates though by taking some of the most ridiculous shots that i've ever seen a player take.

[namlook]

2008 Celtics are #1. Thibodeau is a heck of a defensive coach.

[ImmortalD24]

LMAO at the Spurs being mentioned. Please.


1. 2008 Boston Celtics
2. 2004 Detroit Pistons


Thats where it ends. I'd argue the 2009 Houston Rockets as better defensive teams than any Spurs championship teams.

And yeah, 2004 Spurs were definitely the best defensively of all the Spurs teams. Truth.

[mystargtr34]

Some stats... defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions)

2004 Spurs - 94.1
2004 Pistons - 95.4
2005 Spurs - 98.8
2005 Pistons - 101. 2
2008 Celtics - 98.9

These are just regular season numbers... i would probably still put the 2004 Pistons at #1 based on their defensive performance throughout the playoffs and especially during the Finals. These are from basketball-reference.com... im not sure they are 100% tbh from memory i thought the 2008 Celtics ranked more favourably..

[mystargtr34]

Playoffs

2004 Pistons - 92.0

That pretty much blows away anybody else in terms of playoff defense... to do that against playoff competition is pretty amazing.

[JamStone]

Once the Pistons added Rasheed, it was seriously some of the best team defense I have witnessed in the 25 or so years of following the NBA. Rasheed pretty much brought everything the Pistons defense lacked. A legitimate low post defender so Ben Wallace could play weak side help. A big who could play the pick-and-roll as well as any other big in the game other than KG. A really good communicator. And back then, one of the better outlet passers off of rebounds (unfortunately, he wasn't much of a rebounder).

I will say that the 2007-08 Celtics defense was nearly as impressive. What they were able to do probably even better than the 2004 Pistons was play as a completely cohesive defensive unit.

I didn't watch as much Spurs in the mid 2000s, but I would bet the numbers don't lie because they were as good or better than the two above, particularly from 2003-04 to 2004-05. I think both Duncan and Bowen were in their primes defensively, Parker had improved a lot, and the other players found where they fit in playing Pop's schemes to perfection.

Those three teams really set the standard of this decade's team defense. If I put the 2004 Pistons at #1, it's only slightly above the other two.

[Brazil]

2004 pistons is an uncontested number 1, 08 boston is top 3 material with I'd say 03 spurs.

[redzero]

The 2008 Celtics were the best, no question.

[SomeCallMeTim]

1. 2004 Pistons
2. 2008 Celtics
3. 2003 Spurs
4. 2005 Spurs
5. 2005 Pistons

I agree with this lineup.

[sefant77]

Mavs 2006 are underrated, but not good enough for Top5

[howbouthemspurs]

2004 -2005 spurs should be #1 and #2