Toughest under 6'5 player in the NBA

[crownsy]

If we can raise the bar an inch, I would say Paul Pierce is the toughest guy in the league.  This guy doesn't blow by people and fall when grazed like the fast little guys.  Paul takes legitimate blows because he is not rocket like those guys.  He keeps attacking though and never exagerates the contact by sliding onto the floor.

Well, i think that opens up most of the NBA. And, as much as i love paul, and he does take a beating....he does sell some fouls pretty hard when he barley gets contact driving.

Paul is an avid user of the "sniper shot to the head" move when he drives, but then so are all SF's who drive since the ref's fall for it all the time. to not do it costs your team.

True.  But after the stabbing, and losing his teeth on the court, and perhaps last year's knee injury in the Finals, it's tough to question Paul's toughness.  He's certainly not under 6'5", though.

oh, i'd never question his toughness, and if we were doing over 6'5, he's my leader in the clubhouse. Just pointing out he does sell fouls, which is not a bad thing at all. If there going to give you FT's for it, then get the FT's.

[Roy Hobbs]

To me the definition of toughness should be the player who looks for body contact.  Who else is there?  Bynum on the Pistons is a tough little guy.

If looking for contact is the key, Devin Harris and Dwyane Wade are #2 and #3 in the league in free throws attempted.

Tony Parker and Wade score the greatest number of inside points (off of field goals, rather than free throws) of any guards in the league.  (Link).

[crownsy]

To me the definition of toughness should be the player who looks for body contact.  Who else is there?  Bynum on the Pistons is a tough little guy.

you mean in general or over 6'5? (if so we should do a sister thread)

some guys who are out for contact, any height- (note that im not saying there tough, some of these guys are floppers, just who is looking for it)

Parker, Pierce, Granger, lebron, manu, stucky, bynum, amare, josh smith, rondo, G.wallace, iverson, TJ ford, wade.

I know im missing some, but those are some of the guys that play that way. not really in any order, and some (pierce) do it at a high level and finsh while others (manu) are just looking for the foul.

[KungPoweChicken]

Allen Iverson is the toughest player in the NBA. Also, Iverson is arguably the best "little guy" to ever play. What he does every night at his size is astonishing. Iverson has played effectively with broken fingers and various other injuries.

I will pass on toughness with Wade and Rondo. Wade throws his body around while looking for calls from the referees. If any player breathes on Wade, he will persuasively fall to the hardwood to swindle referees. Once Wade hits the deck, he "heroically" staggers to his feet. Rondo essentially does what Wade does in different aspects of the game. There is nothing tough about that style of play.

[nickagneta]

TP4U Slugger for such a great subject, I couldn't have thought of a better subject if I had done it myself.

My choice, Chauncey Billups.

Lots of you guys are going with Iverson because he gets knocked around a lot or Wade because he goes inside a lot. I go with Chauncey because he's what I like to call "Larry Bird" tough.

He can be as physical in his game as any point guard in the league and not just on the offensive end. Defensively, although more so a couple years ago, he was as tough a defender both physically and with his technique as there was in the league. Not to mention he might be mentally one of the smartest, toughest, clutchest players in the league. Defensively and mentally, which I believe is the two most important parts of this game, he is among the toughest in the league. At 6'3" he's definitely the toughest under 6'5" in the league in my book.

[action781]

I agree on Iverson being #1.  Another guy I'd add into the mix is Baron Davis.  And Nate Robinson... there is no other way to explain him averaging 7.2 rebounds per 48 except toughness!

I loved the Pryzbilla nicknames in the other thread, I never knew them.  Anybody ever hear Fred "The Mayor" Hoiberg?  I died laughing the first time I heard: "The Mayor for 3!"

[moiso]

I agree with Nick on Billups.  He looks for contact, whereas to me Iverson appears to be able to get to the line without taking direct hits.  Kind of like Barry Sanders.

[crownsy]

I agree with Nick on Billups.  He looks for contact, whereas to me Iverson appears to be able to get to the line without taking direct hits.  Kind of like Barry Sanders.

have to disagree, iverson throws himself at the hoop. You can knock allen (justifiably) for alot of things, ducking away from contact is not one of them.

[dark_lord]

pound for pound, it has to be iverson hands down.  whether you like/respect him or not, you got to give him credit for being unbelievably tough and durable.

[moiso]

he throws himself toward the hoop, but at an angle where he usually gets nicked in the shoulder.  As opposed to someone like TA who intentionally jumps right into people.  At least it appears intentional.. haha.

[crownsy]

he throws himself toward the hoop, but at an angle where he usually gets nicked in the shoulder.  As opposed to someone like TA who intentionally jumps right into people.  At least it appears intentional.. haha.

have to agree to disagree on that one i guess, because i see it 100% diffrently.

[action781]

pound for pound, it has to be iverson hands down.  whether you like/respect him or not, you got to give him credit for being unbelievably tough and durable.

You know how webmd sponsored (i dont know if they still do) those little segments when the game shows a player's injury kind of interactively?  It like highlights the part of the body and shows symptoms and how to heal it.  I saw them do it for iverson one game and they showed seriously like 6 different injuries he was playing with at once.  broken finger, sprained ankle, back spasms, dislocated shoulder, etc.  It was impressive.  Then they showed Keith Van Horn: out with a hangnail.  Ok, that last part was an exaggeration, but is it even a question whether or not Keith Van Horn is the untoughest player ever in the NBA?

"Iverson's penchant for playing through injuries is legendary. Iverson was on the verge of tears in 1999 when he told the media he had broken his right thumb and would have to miss time. He missed 10 games but tried to speed up his return by removing the cast himself."

"Once, before a game in New York, the equipment manager hid the No. 3 uniform to keep Iverson from playing with an injury. Undaunted, Iverson wanted to go to the NBA Store and buy a uniform to play."

[Brickowski]

I don't think there are any tough players left in the NBA. AI is fugazy tough.  The Alvin Ailey dance company has guys who are tougher than AI.

Today's powder puff game must be hard for guys like Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier to watch.

[Schupac]

I am going to disagree with a few people here and say a player that flops or exaggerates can't be as tough.  Tough guys don't fake it.

AI would have to be the frontrunner.  He can have a bad attitude sometimes but he gets hammered out there and doesn't cry about it, doesn't flap his arms and exaggerate.

[2short]

I don't think there are any tough players left in the NBA. AI is fugazy tough.  The Alvin Ailey dance company has guys who are tougher than AI.

Today's powder puff game must be hard for guys like Jerry Sloan and Norm Van Lier to watch.

You know this statement has more than a little truth to it.
I'd go with Robinson from the Knicks.