Barely six feet tall with a panache for hounding opposing ball handlers, Los Angeles Clippers commander-in-chief Chris Paul has solidified his reputation as the NBA's premier point guard wrangler.
That sentiment has been confirmed by four All-Defensive first team appointments and two All-Defensive second team nominations. A spotlight on counting stats also does Paul's status as an all-world defender favors.
Six of the last seven seasons—and four years in a row—Paul has led the league in steals per game. That's a defensible and perfectly legitimate way to defend his status as a defender of the highest caliber in any water cooler debate.
However, with mounds of data and archival footage at our disposal, it's easier than ever to dive into the methodology behind Paul's brilliance.
And visually, Paul's play is striking. Unlike some defenders who choose to lurk around the perimeter and hawk lazy passes like a cornerback playing off-coverage (think Asante Samuel), Paul assumes the form of an aggressive corner who excels in press coverage (a la Richard Sherman).
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Article written by Alec Nathan
Explaining Chris Paul’s Dominance as NBA’s Premier Point Guard Stopper
February 28th, 2015 by Alec Nathan Leave a reply »
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