Ranked Defense Watch

[Chinook]

We've gone over this, but Bowen was definitely a guy who took advantage of his time offensively. His shooting would not really matter in the modern game, where stand-still corner-campers have been around long enough to be accounted for. Maybe Bruce would have adjusted. But dude took 84 percent of his threes from those spots with the Spurs and eventually worked his way to taking 90 percent there by his final year with the club. Dude wasn't a zero on offense, but I definitely wouldn't project that as a strength if you could bring him back in his prime.

[Figa]

don't want to ruin the party but .....cupcake schedule tbh.
I would be surprised if the Spurs are still the 12th defense after the brutal incoming 1 and half month. I hope Pop proves me wrong...

[Mugen]

Still super early and they haven't played anybody of note (including getting lit up by the Magic).

But if Pop can get this roster to to the top 1/3 defensively in the league, it'd be easily his best defensive coaching season of his career and arguably of all time tbh.

[John B]

Bruce Bowen does NOT belong on the list with those two yayhoos. While he couldn't create a lick, he was a pretty damn elite 3 point shooter, and one of the vanguards of the 3 and D movement. His career mark was 39% on 2.4 attempts per game, and he led the league in 2002-2003 with 44% on 2.8 attempts per game. His floor spacing absolutely allowed prime Tim and young Tony to operate with impunity in the paint.

Tony Allen couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, and Ben Wallace needed to be within 2 feet of the basket, preferably dunking, to see the ball go in the hole.

I strongly believe Bruce was a HOF defensive player. He defended the best perimeter scorers of his time, from Allen to Nash, Kobe and even Dirk day in and day out. And as much as Timmy was big for us, we couldn’t win without a prime wing defender like Elliott, Bruce and Kawhitter. A prime Bruce would made it very difficult for Curry to setup the tempo with his closeins and busy hands, and even probably caused him an ankle injury tbh.

[J_Paco]

I strongly believe Bruce was a HOF defensive player. He defended the best perimeter scorers of his time, from Allen to Nash, Kobe and even Dirk day in and day out. And as much as Timmy was big for us, we couldn’t win without a prime wing defender like Elliott, Bruce and Kawhitter. A prime Bruce would made it very difficult for Curry to setup the tempo with his closeins and busy hands, and even probably caused him an ankle injury tbh.

I think he meant that Bruce was better equipped as an offensive player than Allen and Wallace, although I disagree. Not that he wasn't an elite (or all-time great) level defender which he most definitely was.

[HarlemHeat37]

Bowen would have never made it in today's NBA he was given A LOT of leeway by the refs with his hands, he would have fouled out in 10 minutes today..

[SuperCam]

post suns-bukakke bump