This is the first season that there is an evident statistical decline from LeBron. (Well...it started last year but has gotten worse)Now, it’s all defensive stuff...and the eye test tells us he’s the same guy we’ve had here the last 3 years when he WANTS to be...but alas...and I posted this in the game thread....there are 4 areas where the Cavs have struggled the most...giving up points in the paint, giving up points off of turnovers, giving up 2nd chance points, and giving up 3 pointers.
Paint scoring-
LeBron has given up the most points in the paint per 100 possessions on the Cavs team for the entire year. At just over 36, he is at the top “or bottom” by a full 5 points per hundred possessions, followed by defensive stalwart Isaiah Thomas(just over 31).
Points off of turnovers:
We’ve all see it, LeBron getting beat down the floor the entire game by any assignment that is willing to lightly jog down the court. Extra fun if LeBron thinks he got fucked on a call (he probably did..but turning a missed layup into a 4-5 Point swing isn’t exactly the best way to handle it). Anyway, “leading” the team in this clear “not giving a fuck” category is LeBron James at 13 points per 100 possessions. Second worst on the year? That little green monster of purse, Isaiah Thomas at 11.
2nd chance points:
We all know we’ve been getting killed by lack of rebounding and it’s easy to look at lack of size...even Nance has struggled in this stat because of the giants he’s gone up against. But again the clubhouse leader here is LeBron James at 9.7 per 100 poss, far ahead of Nance at #2(basically...LBJ likes to let his perimeter assignments steal rebounds and put them back in while pointing at whoever else was close).
3Pt Defense
Sporting a career worst figure of giving up 36.4% from 3, at least he’s not the WORST in the team in this stat. Just 1% shy of that. For example he’s defended the 3 slightly better than IT, TT and Crowder this year...to name a few.
All of this is sporting a DRTG of 112. Which is flat out sad. His situation certainly hasn’t helped. His DRTG when we won the title was 102, and last year when he started to truly get lazy it was 107, for point of reference.
The Cavs don’t have a great defensive roster, but LeBrons decline defensively has been one of the main reasons the team flat out doesn’t defend. There is a clear difference in his on court play when he takes interest in certain games, and it shows itself in the stats as well.
Maybe it’s not fair to ask LeBron to be even a league average defensive player given his offensive responsibility, but he also basically demands that responsibility with his style of play and lack of willingness to adhere to a system.
Now..will we all look back in two months if/when LeBron turns it on and is flattening the East siglehandedly and say...that man knows what he is doing!?? Probably.
Is the good worth the bad? Probably.
Is it unfair to ask this much of him? Possibly.
Is LeBron having the worst defensive season of his career? I think so. Maybe he was worse as a rookie? Idk.