Not my thoughts but I was having a discussion with someone and the person mentioned(after yesterdays game) that LBJ was an overrated one on one defender and not as good as Kobe or DWade was a few years ago. After shaking my head incredulously and bringing out the numbers to prove LeBron is not overrated defensively and apart from his ability to defend all 5 positions, his one on one defense is quite good and he takes fewer defensive plays off than DWade and Kobe,(and is less of a gambler than both) I wanted to ask y'all on CF for your thoughts. The person that mentioned that to me is crazy right? No way in H-E-double hockey sticks is he overrated defensively.
He is a one of the best off the ball and transition defenders ever imo. 1 on 1...yea he is overrated, i see people beating him off the dribble all the time.
If he didn't have to carry the offensive load that he has for his whole career he may be a better one on one defender. Takes too much energy to be able to lock someone down and still contribute 28, 7, and 7 for a whole game.
Look, if he can play this kind of defense while going that kind of offense. Then I can guarantee that he'll be a top notch defense when he focuses on it.
He is the best defender against Derrick Rose and did it by matching foot by foot as opposed to just body to body. Add the fact that the very next game he could guard P. Gasol and then Tony Parker and then Kevin Durant. ADD that he is lethal in the passing lanes and you are always watching your back on break away opportunities with him trailing. I'd say he is rated appropriately.
He's a better than average on-ball perimeter defender, suggesting otherwise is just stupid. He's not a dominant one. Neither were Kobe or Wade though. I'd honestly only say that of Pippen, Artest, Payton and MJ, in the last 20 years or so.
Yes, he is overrated because he gets a highlight block every once in a while. His one-on-one defense is really poor. He gets blown by all the time.
