LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense

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LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#1 » by ballerblogger » Tue Dec 9, 2008 5:07 pm

Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer: “Though clearly known more for his offensive exploits, James has been working hard to improve his defense the past few seasons and has often volunteered to guard the opponent’s best player — like Indiana’s Danny Granger. Granger came into The Q last Friday averaging more than 24 points per game. He scored four against James. In fact, in his past three games, James has held the opponents’ starting small forward (New York’s Wilson Chandler, Granger and Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace) to a total of 17 points and 25.9 percent shooting (7 of 27). Granger and Wallace recorded their season lows. ‘In order to be successful you have to shut down some of the best opposing players,’ James said. ‘I’ve been taking the challenge. My teammates are helping me out, it’s not just me. We’ve been doing it as a team.’”

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2008/12/lebron_working_hard_on_defense.html
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#2 » by litex » Tue Dec 9, 2008 5:28 pm

Lebron has always had the physical tools to be an outstanding defender, and in recent years he's acquired the smarts as well. The problem was always that he carried such huge offensive weight for so many minutes a game that it became impossible for him to play more than token defense. This year the Cavs are so good that they can blow people out and keep Lebron's minutes down, and Mo Williams and Z have taken on some of the offensive load, so its only natural that Lebron would step up his defense.

Its the same with Kobe. Playing with Shaq he was an ultra-elite defender. Shaq leaves, Kobe has to average 35 a game, and his defense slips a ton. He gets Pau and Bynum, no longer has to outright carry his team, and is back to playing elite D.

The only players I can think of who outright carried their teams on offense while playing great man defense are Jordan early on in his career (part of why he's the GOAT), and T-Mac in Orlando, the strain of which almost certainly contributed to his complete breakdown as a player.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#3 » by J-Mezzy » Tue Dec 9, 2008 5:35 pm

Should be a good year for all nba defense team.

You have contenders(some undeservng but will be there based on reputation)
James
Wade'
Chalmers
Artest
Prince
Duncan
Howard
Kobe
Battier.
KG

Everyone claiming their man deserves to be in it. It will be interesting to see who is selected.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#4 » by CHIMOCHI » Tue Dec 9, 2008 5:51 pm

you still got artest so it will be hard to get in 1st team, but 2nd team for sure. i'm a witness
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#5 » by CHIMOCHI » Tue Dec 9, 2008 5:58 pm

J-Mezzy wrote:Should be a good year for all nba defense team.

You have contenders(some undeservng but will be there based on reputation)
James
Wade'
Chalmers
Artest
Prince
Duncan
Howard
Kobe
Battier.
KG

Everyone claiming their man deserves to be in it. It will be interesting to see who is selected.


bored in school, so I decided to check on their opponents production

SF James 10.1
SG Wade' 10.6
PG Chalmers 15.5
SF Artest 10.1
SF Prince 14.3
PF Duncan 14.1
C Howard 15.2
SG Kobe 10.5
SF Battier 7.9 (11% min though)
PF KG 12.3

it seems LBJ can get 1st team, Wade is right there with Kobe also
u mad?
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#6 » by tkb » Tue Dec 9, 2008 6:06 pm

I'd say Garnett and Kirilenko should get 1st team as forwards this year. James should be on the 2nd team though IMO.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#7 » by schneiderjazz » Tue Dec 9, 2008 6:15 pm

CHIMOCHI wrote:
bored in school, so I decided to check on their opponents production

SF James 10.1
SG Wade' 10.6
PG Chalmers 15.5
SF Artest 10.1
SF Prince 14.3
PF Duncan 14.1
C Howard 15.2
SG Kobe 10.5
SF Battier 7.9 (11% min though)
PF KG 12.3

it seems LBJ can get 1st team, Wade is right there with Kobe also


How about some love for AK at 8.8?
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#8 » by Mumbles » Tue Dec 9, 2008 6:19 pm

It seems like every game now Lebron has a top ten highlight of him throwing someone's stuff into the sixth row. Who will be tonight's victim? Ima say Parker..although it'll probably be Calderon's weak ass.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#9 » by Gutter92 » Tue Dec 9, 2008 6:21 pm

Opponent Production is lower when your Team D is good. Does not specifically support a player's case for All NBA team D
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#10 » by CHIMOCHI » Tue Dec 9, 2008 6:25 pm

schneiderjazz wrote:
CHIMOCHI wrote:
bored in school, so I decided to check on their opponents production

SF James 10.1
SG Wade' 10.6
PG Chalmers 15.5
SF Artest 10.1
SF Prince 14.3
PF Duncan 14.1
C Howard 15.2
SG Kobe 10.5
SF Battier 7.9 (11% min though)
PF KG 12.3

it seems LBJ can get 1st team, Wade is right there with Kobe also


How about some love for AK at 8.8?


wow strong defense
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#11 » by Another Brick in the Wall » Tue Dec 9, 2008 6:26 pm

CHIMOCHI wrote:
J-Mezzy wrote:Should be a good year for all nba defense team.

You have contenders(some undeservng but will be there based on reputation)
James
Wade'
Chalmers
Artest
Prince
Duncan
Howard
Kobe
Battier.
KG

Everyone claiming their man deserves to be in it. It will be interesting to see who is selected.


bored in school, so I decided to check on their opponents production


SF James 10.1
SG Wade' 10.6
PG Chalmers 15.5
SF Artest 10.1
SF Prince 14.3
PF Duncan 14.1
C Howard 15.2
SG Kobe 10.5
SF Battier 7.9 (11% min though)
PF KG 12.3

it seems LBJ can get 1st team, Wade is right there with Kobe also


I think it is unfair to compare just opposing player's productions because these players play different roles on defense. A player like Kobe or Prince is highly responsible for shutting down opposing wing players, while someone Duncan and Garnett are more about anchoring the defense with their positioning, help defense, shot-altering and paint intimidation. So one on one defense is less important for them.

And even for wing players, there is more to it. You have to rotate well, double team well, trap.

It is not a game where everyone is glued to their man and turning on defense when their man is trying to score.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#12 » by Trax416 » Tue Dec 9, 2008 9:08 pm

James is not playing all-NBA defense and anyone thinking so should jump off a building.

If his name was anything except Lebron James, Kobe, or Wade he would not be considered as a great defender, because he isn't. He is a **** defender that can block a couple shots a game at best.

Really, I wonder how many people actually watch Cav games.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#13 » by Baseline Runner » Tue Dec 9, 2008 9:14 pm

One of the main reasons that the Cavs have been blowing teams out is because James and West have been shutting down the wings.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#14 » by z_from_kc » Tue Dec 9, 2008 10:52 pm

Trax416 wrote:James is not playing all-NBA defense and anyone thinking so should jump off a building.

If his name was anything except Lebron James, Kobe, or Wade he would not be considered as a great defender, because he isn't. He is a **** defender that can block a couple shots a game at best.

Really, I wonder how many people actually watch Cav games.


Dude we're playing the 2nd best D in the league behind Boston. Who the F*CK is shutting the perimeter down for us? Delonte? Mo Williams? Szcerbiak? Pavlovic? Boobie?

Wake up. LeBron is playing murderous D this year.

Watch a game son.

Make sure you watch the first half because our stifling D and exceptional O is making 2nd halfs meaningless on a nightly basis.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#15 » by Baseline Runner » Tue Dec 9, 2008 10:55 pm

Just ignore hater BALLBOYS.
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#16 » by CzBoobie » Tue Dec 9, 2008 11:02 pm

Trax416 wrote:Really, I wonder how many people actually watch Cav games.


Well, definitely not you...
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#17 » by Rooster » Tue Dec 9, 2008 11:08 pm

litex wrote:Lebron has always had the physical tools to be an outstanding defender, and in recent years he's acquired the smarts as well. The problem was always that he carried such huge offensive weight for so many minutes a game that it became impossible for him to play more than token defense. This year the Cavs are so good that they can blow people out and keep Lebron's minutes down, and Mo Williams and Z have taken on some of the offensive load, so its only natural that Lebron would step up his defense.

Its the same with Kobe. Playing with Shaq he was an ultra-elite defender. Shaq leaves, Kobe has to average 35 a game, and his defense slips a ton. He gets Pau and Bynum, no longer has to outright carry his team, and is back to playing elite D.

The only players I can think of who outright carried their teams on offense while playing great man defense are Jordan early on in his career (part of why he's the GOAT), and T-Mac in Orlando, the strain of which almost certainly contributed to his complete breakdown as a player.

T-Mac's defence was far worse in Orlando than in Toronto or Houston.

OPPG is useful for determining defence, but players don't guard each other every minute of the game.

LeBron should guard Bosh. That'd be interesting. I suspect Wallace will get the assignment though. (With Z on JO.) LeBron guarding Bargnani would be interesting too. Hey, why not have a 6'9" 270-pounder guard big men sometimes?
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#18 » by D-WestFan » Tue Dec 9, 2008 11:27 pm

kinda obvious imo..

Ok, Lebron guards PF.. Z guards C, that leaves Ben on a SF? i think lebron matches up better with SF's than ben does with SF's...
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#19 » by prekazi » Tue Dec 9, 2008 11:53 pm

Trax416 wrote:James is not playing all-NBA defense and anyone thinking so should jump off a building.

If his name was anything except Lebron James, Kobe, or Wade he would not be considered as a great defender, because he isn't. He is a **** defender that can block a couple shots a game at best.

Really, I wonder how many people actually watch Cav games.


I also wonder that: Do you watch the Cavs games?
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Re: LeBron James Is Playing 1st Team All-NBA Defense 

Post#20 » by HarlemHeat37 » Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:44 am

somebody explain opponent's PER to me..

is it simply production by position? or do they actually keep track of who every player is guarding at the time? they obviously don't keep track of switches and the help defense involved, do they?..they don't rank the quality of the opposing player..

I don't really see how it's a valid way to rank defenders..

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