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Denver Nuggets: Fat Lever vs. Chauncey Billups

By Grayson Moore

DENVER- 1990: Fat Lever #12 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles against the Utah Jazz during a game played circa 1990 at McNicholls Arena in Denver Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER- 1990: Fat Lever #12 of the Denver Nuggets dribbles against the Utah Jazz during a game played circa 1990 at McNicholls Arena in Denver Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1990 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 22: Fat Lever #12 of the Denver Nuggets defends against Jugoplastika Split as part of the 1989 McDonald’s Championships on October 22, 1989, at the PalaLottomatica in Rome, Italy. The Denver Nuggets defeated Jugoplastika Split 135-129.  Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1989 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
ROME, ITALY – OCTOBER 22: Fat Lever #12 of the Denver Nuggets defends against Jugoplastika Split as part of the 1989 McDonald’s Championships on October 22, 1989, at the PalaLottomatica in Rome, Italy. The Denver Nuggets defeated Jugoplastika Split 135-129.  Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1989 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Defense

Both of these legends have been heralded for their defense and have at least one All-Defensive team on their resume. However, I believe that there is a clear answer for who the better defender on the Nuggets was.

In six seasons in Denver, Lever amassed 23.8 defensive win shares. In five seasons in Denver, Billups collected 4.7 defensive win shares. That’s a major point to Fat.

Lever had a steal percentage of 3.2%, almost doubling Chauncey’s 1.7%. Fat also averaged 2.5 steals per game, towering over Billups’ 1.1. Lever averaged 2.7 steals per game in a season twice. The highest Chauncey ever averaged in Denver and in his entire career is 1.3. Steals are certainly not the only way to identify an elite defender, but they are definitely helpful.

Lever had a defensive box plus/minus of 2.2 for his Nuggets career. Billups maintained an average DBPM score of -1.9. In fact, in Billups’ entire career he has never posted a positive DBPM. Even in the two years that he was picked for an All-Defensive team(2004-05 and 2005-06), he posted DBPM scores of -0.9 and -2.2 respectively.

In Denver, Lever posted a defensive rating of 105 per 100 possessions, which is the ninth best score in Denver history among players who have played 250+ games. Billups posted a score of 111 per 100 possessions, which is the 5th worst score in Nuggets history among players who have played 250+ games.

So while these two were among the best defending point guards of their respective generations, it’s pretty clear that Lever was the better defender, at least on the Nuggets.