A key in fighting for the playoffs for any NBA team is defense. For the Charlotte Hornets, their path to a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs will rest heavily on their defense, especially after their horrible start.
Their best interior defender, Al Jefferson, might be out for sometime due to an injury but there is one player on the perimeter that the Hornets don’t have to worry about. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist might have improved his offensive game this season but he is known for his amazing defense, especially on the perimeter.
Kidd-Gilchrist, his teammates and his coach know this but it seems like MKG might want to take it one step further.
Following from Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford made a bold statement recently, saying small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has the talent to be the best perimeter defender among this generation of NBA players.
Not bold enough apparently. On Thursday Kidd-Gilchrist trumped Clifford’s expectation.
“I want to say ever; not just in the league (now). The best defender this league has seen,” Kidd-Gilchrist told the Observer.
“It’s baby steps. But when it’s all said and done, I want people to say, ‘That guy right there was the dog!’ That’s all I want.”
A further look at Kidd-Gilchrist’s stats show that his defensive rating stands at a 94.9, which is actually very solid for a small forward.
In comparison to one of the leading defensive play of the year candidates, Golden State Warriors Draymond Green, he actually stacks up very well with Green. His defensive rating, and defensive rating percentage is actually higher than Green’s. The one thing that everyone will notice though is Green’s steals and blocks are almost double that of MKG.
Charles Barkley might not like the analytics, but the numbers on the board don’t lie. MKG is a long defender and he plays tough. That’s always been his sticking point since his time at Kentucky, his defense is above average and this season, he’s proving it. Only time will tell if he can show off his defensive prowess as his career continues.
