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Dumbest defensive plays/decisons in NBA history



Prefer critical NBA playoff moments since they are more impactful. Here are some that come to mind.

Mason Plumlee screening his own teammate give Anthony Davis a good look

Rasheed Wallace trying to trap Manu and letting Horry open for three to win the NBA Finals swing game. Sheed acting like the Pistons were down by two instead of up by two. Absolutely no need to force a turnover

Barkley making an unnecessary gamble on MJ's pass to Pippen which culminated in leaving Paxson open for three to win the title and clinch the threepeat

Pippen is like 5 out of 17 so the Jazz bizarrely decide to double him by leaving the best player ever in Jordan open for a late go-ahead three in game 5 of the 1997 NBA finals.

by Currymvp2

22 Comments

  1. alphalobster200

    undoubtedly Plumlord guarding AD by aggressively pointing at him. on what planet did this bottom-barrel bbiq dipshit think he was better suited to guard Bron over Grant?

    great recovery by Jokic though.

  4. The_Assassin_Gower

    I don’t remember who did it but someone intentionally fouled to force free throws in a tie game with 10 seconds to go. They made the free throws and then lost the game.

  6. JesseJamesGames449

    Jaylen Brown Leaving Harden open on the strong side corner with 20 seconds left in OT game 4 i believe?

  7. m3junmags

    Oh brother that AD 3 still gives me goosebumps. KOBE.

  8. OKC2023champs

    SGA fouling the mavericks in game 6 was rough.

    Jr smith is up there.

    Any time javale McGee or Drummond try and make a play

  9. Worth_Inflation_1261

    Kidd told Middleton to miss the 2nd free throw up 3 because Kidd was worried about a 4 point play? It didn’t matter the Bucks still won, but his logic didn’t make sense. This man is still coaching and is the same player who ran into Woodson for a technical foul/ momentum swing.

  11. SHashbrowns1

    Shoutout to Plumlee though because that was one of my favorite moments of those playoffs

  12. Ok-Engine-5362

    Not having Duncan in when Bosh got that offensive rebound. Obviously if Ray Allen missed it would feel different and you can make argument he may have been slow to close out on Bosh if he was to shoot the 3 but that’s one that I always think of.

  13. slimmymcnutty

    Recent one was Luka’s final couple fouls in that finals where he fouled out. That Jaylen brown block was especially egregious not even trying to get in a legal guarding position. Close winnable game and he fouled out cause he was paying attention or trying on defense

  15. ApprehensiveBox3148

    The Barkley one was Danny Ainge, Paxton was his man and he the defensive call was not to double.

  16. dvasquez93

    In 2015, Hassan Whiteside and Norris Cole had arguably the dumbest turnover in NBA history against the Minnesota Timberwolves, fucking up an inbounds play with 39 seconds left in the 4th Q.  They lost that game by 1 point. 

    And then proceeded to miss the playoffs by 1 game. 

    Behold: https://youtu.be/_ifcObgtlYM?si=HoNdDadSUh5Yy4Js

  17. ephemeralfugitive

    I think it was Lakers vs Hornets, there was a game where Kobe and the Lakers on the court somehow managed to get the entire Hornets team into a defensive huddle on the wrong side of the court, resulting in a free Kobe dunk. Left me scratching my head even though I appreciated the free points. One of the biggest defensive lapses of judgments I seen in the game.

  18. HughGRextion

    AD fouling conley on a 3 after dennis hit what was gonna be the game winner of the play-in lol

  19. ketoburn26

    Manu fouling Dirk in 2006. It would have capped off a 3-1, 20-point game 7 comeback if they won that. Alas.

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