Who was Miami's best defensive player during the Heatles era?

[parsnips33]

Related to one of the other posts on here - who do you see as the best defensive player on those Heat teams? LeBron? Bosh? Battier doesn't seem to have the minutes, but maybe on a per-possession basis?

Also might this be a case where "best" and "most important" are not synonymous? My instinct is to say Bron was the best and Bosh was most important but I haven't thought about it too hard

[rk2023]

I myself would say LBJ, however I see Bosh's value on defense (and overall) often getting under-appreciated by those whom are both supporters and detractors of James. Regardless, I go with James here ITO both goodness and situational importance. Miami's scheme of applying perimeter pressure through aggressive ball-screen coverage (eg. blitzing, trapping, hard hedging) then rotating accordingly I would say hinged more on guards/forwards. I'd have to rewatch some more, but Bosh in theory seems/seemed like a very good switch/hedge big in his own right.

At that, I feel like James covered more on-court mileage on defense as a rotator, played passing lanes well immediately following the process of making life more difficult for PnR handlers (due to better quickness either straight-line or horizontal & diagonal movements), was better deployed as a 'defensive yellow light' through great post-fronting / stonewalling to deny higher quality 2-point shots, so on.

Grantland , through Zach Lowe , had a great article on James' off-ball defense (it's cited here):
https://www.businessinsider.com/raptors-computer-program-lebron-james-2013-3

[OhayoKD]

Related to one of the other posts on here - who do you see as the best defensive player on those Heat teams? LeBron? Bosh? Battier doesn't seem to have the minutes, but maybe on a per-possession basis?

Also might this be a case where "best" and "most important" are not synonymous? My instinct is to say Bron was the best and Bosh was most important but I haven't thought about it too hard

Lineup ratings seem to think the answer is Lebron for both

Lebron's track-record before and after is also much stronger fwiw(his discernable impact and clear cut "anchoryness" jumps when he's small-forward(and trades bulk for quickness physically) in both cleveland stints.

Maybe you're overthinking this....

[Colbinii]

Related to one of the other posts on here - who do you see as the best defensive player on those Heat teams? LeBron? Bosh? Battier doesn't seem to have the minutes, but maybe on a per-possession basis?

Also might this be a case where "best" and "most important" are not synonymous? My instinct is to say Bron was the best and Bosh was most important but I haven't thought about it too hard

Bosh more important?

I think LeBron was a better rim protector, better post defender and far quicker on switches [though Bosh himself was a very intelligent defender and quick for a C].

Bosh was important on making the defense function at the blistering speeds they liked to play at, but I would still put LeBron as the more important.

[falcolombardi]

Lebron i think if only because his versatilty made miami defensive style possible

[ShotCreator]

If not LeBron, it's Battier for me.

Joel Anthony was all-time bad offensively, but legitimately very good defensively too.