PIPPEN Vs. RODMAN Who was the BEST defender in Bulls History?

[Crystallas]

ya i was about to say..i think jordan was a better defender than scottie

The argument can be made. Pip got the strong side coverage, which helps pad stats. Jordan didn't have the strong side assignment after 90 and until he finished playing. But Jordan did cover defensive setup way better than Pippen.

Ultimately, Pippen being a true 5 position defender and his ability facing transition gives him an edge IMO.

 

[brett05]

Crys is dead right

 

[RC_Skinny22]

Guys there has only one Bulls player ever been the NBA´s defensive player of the year.

And that is Michael Jordan!

Nough said!

 

[RC_Skinny22]

If you look at the stats:

Jordan Pippen
Games: 1039 1053
Steals: 2514 2307
Blocks: 893 947
Fouls: 2783 3329

They both nearly played the same number of games but Jordan has over 200 steals more than Pippen and made about 600 fouls less. I think that´s pretty interesting!

 

[houheffna]

Rebounding isn't a defensive stat at all so that shouldn't be counted in an argument for Rodman.

Look at a guy like Kevin Love, Al Jefferson, or Carlos Boozer. Three of the best rebounders in the game. But that doesn't mean that they are good defenders.

defensive rebounding most definitely is a defensive stat...and no, Rodman wasn't a great defender with the Bulls, for most of his tenure with the Bulls he didn't play much defense. Pippen on the other hand was a great defender throughout his tenure, but people forget about arguably the best defensive backcourt in NBA history...Sloan and Van Lier...two excellent and versatile defenders...

Also, Jordan taught Pippen how to play defense on the NBA level, taught him a lot of tricks...Pippen, because of his body type (lots of length, including long arms and a strong wiry frame), emerged as what I believe was the best perimeter defender in league history, but Jordan was more sound fundamentally.

 

[Glide2keva]

If you look at the stats:

Jordan Pippen
Games: 1039 1053
Steals: 2514 2307
Blocks: 893 947
Fouls: 2783 3329

They both nearly played the same number of games but Jordan has over 200 steals more than Pippen and made about 600 fouls less. I think that´s pretty interesting!

That being true.

Defense is something that can't be measured solely on stats.

Defense is about shutting down your matchup, keeping them in front of you, denying them the ball, helping when an assignment gets blown, taking charges, etc.

Those are things you can't put stats to. That's why you have to see them play more so than on offense.

IMO

 

[CubbyBear2290]

defensive rebounding most definitely is a defensive stat...and no, Rodman wasn't a great defender with the Bulls, for most of his tenure with the Bulls he didn't play much defense. Pippen on the other hand was a great defender throughout his tenure, but people forget about arguably the best defensive backcourt in NBA history...Sloan and Van Lier...two excellent and versatile defenders...

Also, Jordan taught Pippen how to play defense on the NBA level, taught him a lot of tricks...Pippen, because of his body type (lots of length, including long arms and a strong wiry frame), emerged as what I believe was the best perimeter defender in league history, but Jordan was more sound fundamentally.

THANK YOU!! Finally someone w/ some sense and knows what I am talking about. He was average on D by the time he got here. Finally I'm not all alone in thinking/knowing this.

 

[Mr.247]

First of all I have to Agree with Rami.

I see some of you Seniors are trying to use the argument against Rodman saying he couldn't guard the wings like Pippen could. Well the same could be said about Pippen not being able to guard the Massive PF's and Centers like Rodman could.

Pippen as great of a defender as he is would'nt be night in and noght out guarding the Malone's and Shaq's like Rodman.
And to say that Rodman wasn't a Great Defender is a down right OUTRAGE!

Are you SERIOUS???? ( I say this with respect of course)

Rodman was an Incredible defender for the Bulls. Not just the greatest rebounder but also an Incredible Defender. He could man up the BEST SF's PF's and Centers One on One.

I don't say this to be bias against either player but you gentlemen can't sit here and tell me that he wasn't all that great of a Defender. I don't care if he was drafted by the Bulls or Not, The argument can definitely be made in Rodman's case.

We wouldn't have threepeated against the teams we played in the finals with Rodman. (of course you may agree with this)

But it wasn't JUST because of his Defense.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

This is all I was saying, but I get obliterated for having an opinion on why Rodman may not have been as great w/ the bulls as he was with the pistons.

Nowhere did you get obliterated for saying that he was a better defender with Detroit. That part is undeniable.

I strongly disagree with the notion that Rodman did not have a vital role for the Bulls defensively. His concentration was rebounding but he was certainly in great physical shape. The 4 best defensive PFs in the league back when Rodman played with the Bulls were Charles Oakley, Karl Malone, P.J. Brown, and Rodman.

Rodman is certainly not a better defender than Pippen, Jordan, Sloan, or Van Lier. But he was still one of the better ones in the league in his time with the Bulls.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

THANK YOU!! Finally someone w/ some sense and knows what I am talking about. He was average on D by the time he got here. Finally I'm not all alone in thinking/knowing this.

No way.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

i think for sure he wasnt on the level that he was in detroit(has to do a little with not being lined up next to laimbeer...gotta think about units defensively)

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

defensive rebounding most definitely is a defensive stat...and no, Rodman wasn't a great defender with the Bulls, for most of his tenure with the Bulls he didn't play much defense. Pippen on the other hand was a great defender throughout his tenure, but people forget about arguably the best defensive backcourt in NBA history...Sloan and Van Lier...two excellent and versatile defenders...

Also, Jordan taught Pippen how to play defense on the NBA level, taught him a lot of tricks...Pippen, because of his body type (lots of length, including long arms and a strong wiry frame), emerged as what I believe was the best perimeter defender in league history, but Jordan was more sound fundamentally.

Rebounding, defense, and offense all tie in together because basketball is played in succession and there's no stoppages of play between each of those in a normal situation. It's not like football where the 2 groups of special teams, defense, and offense are all separated by snaps, but it's largely the same concept. But it's still tough to say that rebounding makes you a good defensive player. A lot of the time, a guy's lack of defensive ability can be made up for because of the ability to crash the boards, as long as you have a secondary defender who can defend in the paint.

And I agree about what you said about Jordan being the more fundamentally equipped defender while Pippen had more length so ended up being more effective.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

i think for sure he wasnt on the level that he was in detroit(has to do a little with not being lined up next to laimbeer...gotta think about units defensively)

Yeah there's no question Rodman was not playing a main defensive role in Chicago like he was with Detroit. Rodman was counted on to guard the best defensive player and be all over the court. He was their ace in the hole. His major focus was on defense while it was Bill Laimbeer who was out there primarily to get rebounds. And that is not saying that Laimbeer was a better rebounder than Rodman. It's just that Rodman was much better as a defensive player than Laimbeer and was still able to use his athleticism to get rebounds despite playing away from the basket a lot of times. Laimbeer was a solid defender but often times he would use fouls to stop opposing players from getting baskets inside. Obviously, that worked in his favor.

 

[houheffna]

Rebounding, defense, and offense all tie in together because basketball is played in succession and there's no stoppages of play between each of those in a normal situation. It's not like football where the 2 groups of special teams, defense, and offense are all separated by snaps, but it's largely the same concept. But it's still tough to say that rebounding makes you a good defensive player. A lot of the time, a guy's lack of defensive ability can be made up for because of the ability to crash the boards, as long as you have a secondary defender who can defend in the paint.

And I agree about what you said about Jordan being the more fundamentally equipped defender while Pippen had more length so ended up being more effective.

By year 3, Rodman's defense was practically non existent. He was stellar in 1996, but he fell off over time. Defensive rebounding ends an offensive possession. It is not a turnover, but the end result is still the end of the possession as opposed to a possession continuing. Defensive rebounding was a big part of the criteria for DPOY. Voters look at that.

 

[y2ktors]

Pippen > Rodman

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

Dear God do I hope the lockout ends soon

 

[nwfisch]

Dear God do I hope the lockout ends soon

Why do you got to be rude about people starting discussions here?

I'm glad this forum hasn't died with the lockout.

 

[Deng Defense Force]

Pippen > Rodman

Case closed.

 

[97Bulls]

Scottie pippen was definately the better defender between the two in their careers with the bulls.

But rodman was still a great defender in his own right.

 

[Mr.247]

Scottie pippen was definately the better defender between the two in their careers with the bulls.

But rodman was still a great defender in his own right.

I like your response.

It was so different than the people above you that keep saying that Rodman wasn't a Good Defender or that he fell off.

If that was true then why was he on our team at all?

Why is he considered a Legend?

Why is everyone else calling him a Great Defender?

LOL!

I mean no disrespect but some of these statements in this thread makes Zero sense. So All he did was rebound?

So he didn't shut down Shaq?

His D on Malone was invisible?

Once again....

LOL!