2018-19 NBA All-Defensive Team: Power rankings for guards

Perimeter players are the lifeblood of basketball teams. The best teams in the league today are invariably the ones that have the best swingmen. This has been true ever since the 1980's following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's retirement and the rise of the phenomenon that was Michael Jordan.

The most elite swingmen today handle a wide variety of tasks on both ends of the floor as the NBA continues its move towards a future of positionless basketball. Small-ball a.k.a Death Lineups are the order of the day, and teams like the Houston Rockets, the Warriors and the Celtics are able to field lineups with 3-4 wing players without losing a beat on the offensive end, or defensively.

The following ranking will focus on the players' ability to guard star offensive players, switch on to the toughest assignment on the night and make a difference. Bonus points have been handed out to players with the ability to guard multiple positions.

Note: Players who have played 20 games or less this season, or are averaging less than 20 minutes per game are ineligible.

#5 Danny Green

The Raptors have had to deal with injuries to 2 key frontcourt players over the past several weeks, which means their defensive showings this season haven't been as impressive as they could've been. They're still, however, ranked amongst the top 10 teams by defensive rating per 100 possessions in addition to other NBA team defensive stats, and a big part of that is their dynamic defensive duo of Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard.

'Wing Stop' - as the duo have been sobriqueted in the past, are the peskiest perimeter defensive swingmen in the league - bar none. While Green's defense wasn't at its best last year with San Antonio due to knee injuries that he later revealed he had on his 'Inside the Green Room' podcast (do check that one out, that's a good one), fitness is no longer a concern this season.

This shows in his approach to the game this season. Danny has always been an amazing transition defender, often guarding 2 players by himself on the break. He's also adept at contesting jumpshots, layups and even runners without fouling, and this season, he's been an ever-present whenever available.

Green boasts of the best defensive rating on the team (among players with significant minutes) at 102.8, and is no. 1 among shooting guards in Defensive Real Plus Minus (courtesy of ESPN).

Note: All statistics quoted in this article have been obtained from stats.nba.com unless stated otherwise

#4 Josh Richardson

The Heat have shaken off a rusty start to the season amidst injuries to a number of key rotation players, including Goran Dragic. Having started 7-13 in their first 20 games of the season, they have now clawed their way back into playoff berths, and currently sit at the 6th seed with a 21-21 record. Their defense, which is usually their calling card, has again been stellar irrespective of whatever nba team defensive stat you use to classify them.

Their resurgence has much to do with the drastic improvements wing duo J-Rich and Justise Winslow have made this season. While Richardson was playing at All-Defensive team caliber last season as well, he has been able to maintain his lockdown defense while dedicating extra energy to offense.

Richardson is averaging 17.6 points per game while making 37.2% of his 6.6 3-point attempts per game, all while guarding the opposition team's best perimeter scorer. If the MIP discussion is a bit of a stretch, people still have to take note of his impact on the Heat's defense, for which he's a net positive despite lining up alongside some of the team's more porous defenders during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of games.

#3 Marcus Smart

How many players at or under 6'4" can legitimately claim to be able to guard 3 positions on the floor during clutch? Not many. Perhaps Marcus Smart is the only one who really does the job on such a regular basis.

'Cobra' displays the kind of hustle, determination and defensive focus that reminds fans of old-school basketball of a certain 5-time NBA champion Dennis Rodman. With his athleticism, ability to read plays and deflect passes and block passing lanes, as well as his sturdy 102 kg frame, Smart regularly takes up the small forward assignment when Brad Stevens puts him on the floor alongside Kyrie Irving and Rozier in the 2nd and 3rd quarters.

Marcus 'Mahcus Smaht' Smart is the heart and soul of the Celtics, and he plays with a passion and a fire that sets the tone for the rest of the team to buy into playing defense. The Cs are once again a top defensive team in the league, ranking among the top 5 in all nba team defensive stats. He leads the ESPN's DRPM chart for point guards by an absurd 47% margin.

#2 Jrue Holiday

A healthy Jrue Holiday is a top two-way player in the league, there's no two ways about it. Over the past couple of seasons, the Pelicans' combo, do-it-all guard has filled in for a variety of Swiss-Knife like tactical roles in All-Star-worthy fashion.

Holiday has averaged 36.7 minutes per game - good for 2nd on his team behind Anthony Davis, 3rd in the league among guards (behind Harden and Bradley Beal) and 4th overall. The Pelicans have missed key role players at various junctures, and their wafer-thin perimeter depth chart has forced Holiday into point guard roles for more than half of his minutes every game.

His performances this season have once again been worthy of All-Defensive attention. In a fairer world where voters didn't discriminate based on what market the player plays in, Holiday would have real All Star selection buzz based off his offensive stats alone. His ability to at least trouble top scorers in the league ranging from Kemba Walker to Kevin Durant in height is one of the most sought-after attributes GMs look for.

#1 Russell Westbrook

Oklahoma City Thunder v Los Angeles Lakers

There is not a single NBA team defensive stat or individual defensive stat that does not demonstrate Westbrook's impact on the Thunder's defense. In a starting lineup with really good to great defenders at every spot, Westbrook is an enforcer on the defensive end of the ball as well.

For one thing, he's the best rebounder in the game at a height of 6'8" or below. He has an insane sense of timing, really great wingspan and the verticality to get rebounds, both contested and boxed-out. But while he's already been averaging double-digit rebounds for 2 seasons now, the Brody no longer plainly sits as a weakside defender.

He's actively engaged in chasing shooters off the 3-point line, playing passing lanes and getting across to play help defense when the occasion demands that of him. He's currently leading the league in steals and is 8th among point guards in DRPM, enough for a superstar like him to walk into an All-NBA team.