Best Lebron defender?

[sbw19]

Past? Scottie? DPOY Artest?

Preset? Serge? Gay? Healthy Howard?

Two years from now? Durant? Davis? Others?

Top teams need to gear against this guy similar to way they did Shaq, dude is virtually unstoppable at this point.

[talkingconch]

Durant? on lebron? lol yea if he gains like 40lbs

[BrickingStar]

Lol at durant and davis guarding him from the wing

[Dave3]

Durant? on lebron? lol yea if he gains like 40lbs
Length is a very potent defensive weapon, even if you lack strength. The guy can push you, but you can recover by just reaching over too. It's not a stretch to think that.

[webberz0044]

Luol Deng

[IGotACoolStory]

Watch Prince on defense in his prime. Size ain't all that.

[Peter Pang]

Definitely not Durant, because he has to guard the GOAT -- Mario Chalmers

[Kellogs4toniee]

I think a really physical forward, who isn't afraid to hit hard or wont back down would be best for "containing" Lebron at this point. Note the word containing, because Lebron is in the MJ zone right now and no one can stop him.

A prime Artest would be ideal. Known defensive 3's in this era like Sefolosha, Deng, and George are just too weak to effectively guard against Lebron.

I think Scotties wing span would have been very effective for defending Lebron in the post though.

[stephanieg]

Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion, apparently.

[MMM]

the best way to defend Lebron is an elite team defense. As for indidual defenders it is nearly impossible to find defenders that can match his combination of size and speed. He seems like he is a hybrid TE too big for CBs(Small Forwards) and too quick for linebackers(Power Forwards)

[BrickingStar]

Length is a very potent defensive weapon, even if you lack strength. The guy can push you, but you can recover by just reaching over too. It's not a stretch to think that.
go look at the finals. He was abused in the post and blown by. LeBron isn't a rookie and knows how to finished by taking contact

[sbw19]

I'm just throwing out names as examples. And I'd like to think Bron won't be as explosive when he hits 30, that he'll be playing closer to the basket as he gets older.

[chairman]

Doesn't matter who is on lebron, he'll choke in the 4th

[talkingconch]

Length is a very potent defensive weapon, even if you lack strength. The guy can push you, but you can recover by just reaching over too. It's not a stretch to think that.
i think someone already posted it but you get abused in post up situations, no strength

[sbw19]

the best way to defend Lebron is an elite team defense. As for indidual defenders it is nearly impossible to find defenders that can match his combination of size and speed. He seems like he is a hybrid TE too big for CBs(Small Forwards) and too quick for linebackers(Power Forwards)
I agree. You have to have an excellent defensive big and another very good help defender or vice versa to slow him down. Kinda like Pistons and Spurs used the two Wallaces and Duncan/Drob against Shaq. Think Chicago OKC and similar teams will pose greatest challenge against LeBron. Coaching matters too.

[CavaliersFTW]

Gus Johnson or Scottie Pippen would both be able to contain him

[inclinerator]

i would say someone smaller, someone in the 6'4 range

[BrickingStar]

Doesn't matter who is on lebron, he'll choke in the 4th
Like he did against rose in the final game of that ECF series :roll: :roll:

[The-Legend-24]

Shawn Marion

[Jolokia]

Dwyane Wade

[lakerspng]

Hopefully Earl Clark on Sunday. MWP just doesn't have the foot speed and lateral quickness anymore, though he might be the only guy at his size that has the strength to force him out of his comfort zone. The most important thing is discipline, let him take his outside shots, if he hits them so be it, don't give him driving lanes and force him towards a good help defender and hope your help defenders get there in time to force him to pass instead of taking it to the rim if he gets by you.

But like any great offensive player, if he's on, no matter what you do, he's going to scorch you.

Josh Smith maybe?

[TMT]

Shawn Marion and Bruce Bowen

[InspiredLebowski]

Paul George has "held" him to about 25/8/3 on a little over 50%. Hey, it's under his averages!

[jdm_dc_fan]

Paul George has "held" him to about 25/8/3 on a little over 50%. Hey, it's under his averages!
Eh Jeff green held him to high 40's%.

[imdaman99]

its gotta be someone who doesnt have to do much on offense. maybe tony allen. unfortunately, they made sure to grab modern day version bruce bowen-lite on their team, battier :facepalm

[Fudge]

Probably Marion. How effective is/was Kawhi when he defends LeBron?

[imdaman99]

Probably Marion. How effective is/was Kawhi when he defends LeBron?
he prob makes him work, but the thing about very good defensive players is... unless you have a team defense around them, it wont do much good. its like all those years that marion and bell were on the suns. did they play good defense? heck yeah, but they had bad defenders surrounding them at the other 3 positions. plus dantoni system is designed to outscore you, not to stop you to win games, so often the guys they covered had great offensive nights.

bruce bowen with the rest of the spurs defensive system or rodman with the bad boy pistons >>>>

[Vienceslav]

I'd say Scottie might have a shot on disrupting his game somewhat, but probably not very effectively and long term.
Dunno what prime Artest does against him really.
Your best shot is probably force him out of the paint and make him shoot long jump shots, but that's easier said than done.

[FKAri]

SSJ2 Goku. Lacks length but makes for it with athleticism. Can block shots by zapping the ball with an energy blast.

Also, prime Tony Allen.

[Bucket_Nakedz]

jimmy butler b!tches

[RoboticWang]

Andrei Kirilenko has to be the best. No one can stop LeBron.. but Kirilenko has at least contained him for a while.

[Pointguard]

Why are people saying Pippen? When was Pippen a lock down defender? I remember him as being a great help defender. He never stopped Barkley or Malone or even Magic who wasn't really a scorer.

Pippen has no chance of stopping him. Grant Hill usually outplayed Pippen and was un-phased by him, he usually averaged more on Pippen than he did the rest of the league. Lebron is faster, bigger and stronger, a far better penetrator, more to handle underneath and never shot the three like Lebron is doing now. TBH, Lebron is Grant Hill in Karl Malone's body. When Pippen was still getting first team all defense, Kobe was abusing him with his speed. Lebron gets around point guards, Pippen wouldn't be a problem.

Rodman is the only guy giving Lebron problems but eventually Lebron will figure it out. Young Garnett would have been interesting, but I see Lebron's speed and bulk just getting around everybody.

[Asukal]

Why are people saying Pippen? When was Pippen a lock down defender? I remember him as being a great help defender. He never stopped Barkley or Malone or even Magic who wasn't really a scorer.

Pippen has no chance of stopping him. Grant Hill usually outplayed Pippen and was un-phased by him, he usually averaged more on Pippen than he did the rest of the league. Lebron is faster, bigger and stronger, a far better penetrator, more to handle underneath and never shot the three like Lebron is doing now. TBH, Lebron is Grant Hill in Karl Malone's body. When Pippen was still getting first team all defense, Kobe was abusing him with his speed. Lebron gets around point guards, Pippen wouldn't be a problem.

Rodman is the only guy giving Lebron problems but eventually Lebron will figure it out. Young Garnett would have been interesting, but I see Lebron's speed and bulk just getting around everybody.

I'd imagine Lebron shrinking down to passive mode if he were to face Rodman. The worm would get to his head and its game over. :roll:

[Rubio2Gasol]

Noah.

[Just2McFly]

Only Lebron can stop himself.

[Cowboy Thunder]

Tony Allen

[ralph_i_el]

Paul George

[arifgokcen]

I'd say Scottie might have a shot on disrupting his game somewhat, but probably not very effectively and long term.
Dunno what prime Artest does against him really.
Your best shot is probably force him out of the paint and make him shoot long jump shots, but that's easier said than done.

Scottie cant contain lebron.Lebron is just too big for him.Pippen could probably contain a player like durant because of his amazing wing span but not lebron.

Best lebron defender would probably be rodman as others said.However i dont think he can defend him.At this point giving him space is not gonna work either.Because he is shooting 42% from beyond the arc.Its like prime shaq or wilt.His sheer size speed and strength is just too much for opponents.

Lol at durant being a good lebron defender in any future.As improved defender as durant is,he is still way below elite.Many players still takes advantage of durant off the dribble.He is probably the worst defender in OKC starting lineup.(of course i am assuming perkins has somebody to guard)

[TheMan]

Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion, apparently.:lol

[DG#8]

Mbah Moute

[hitmanyr2k]

Why are people saying Pippen? When was Pippen a lock down defender? I remember him as being a great help defender. He never stopped Barkley or Malone or even Magic who wasn't really a scorer.

Pippen has no chance of stopping him. Grant Hill usually outplayed Pippen and was un-phased by him, he usually averaged more on Pippen than he did the rest of the league. Lebron is faster, bigger and stronger, a far better penetrator, more to handle underneath and never shot the three like Lebron is doing now. TBH, Lebron is Grant Hill in Karl Malone's body. When Pippen was still getting first team all defense, Kobe was abusing him with his speed. Lebron gets around point guards, Pippen wouldn't be a problem.

Rodman is the only guy giving Lebron problems but eventually Lebron will figure it out. Young Garnett would have been interesting, but I see Lebron's speed and bulk just getting around everybody.

If Shawn Marion can make Lebron go into bitch mode for the majority of an NBA Finals series I know damn well Pippen has plenty chance of stopping him :oldlol: Pippen was also a damn good post defender and great at ball denial. His wingspan gave the post entry guy problems at even getting the pass into the post.

[iamgine]

Paul George

[SilkkTheShocker]

Luol Deng

Is that a joke? Deng has been LeBron's b.itch for years

[SilkkTheShocker]

Doesn't matter who is on lebron, he'll choke in the 4th


Hilarious coming from a Derrick Rose fan who s.hit his pants when Bron guarded him

[hitmanyr2k]

Hilarious coming from a Derrick Rose fan who s.hit his pants when Bron guarded him

Not hilarious at all when you think about it. Derrick Rose was a third year NBA player who had never been that deep in the playoffs with the entire Miami Heat defense keyed to his every movement flanking Lebron. It's a lot different than a 8 year vet with a ton of playoff experience playing with two other all-stars in their primes choking it up for an entire NBA Finals series. It seems context matters everywhere except this board :oldlol:

[konex]

Melo and Gay. They also make him work on the other end too. That's the only way you slow Bron down

[tmacattack33]

Deng doesn't do a bad job on him.

[imdaman99]

Melo and Gay. They also make him work on the other end too. That's the only way you slow Bron down
thats BS, because he lets battier cover those guys for the most part. in the knicks series, he covered melo about 25% of the time. the rest was battier and team defense and once in a while flop to get offensive fouls on melo.

[chosen_one6]

Lol at people bringing up Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion as ways to stop LeBron. I guess y'all forgot about Tyson Chandler literally sitting in the middle waiting for LeBron to come into the paint. That's the real reason why he was shut down in those finals, because the Mavericks played team defense and had a long, tough big man to guard the rim.

[SilkkTheShocker]

Deng doesn't do a bad job on him.

He gets raped by LeBron. Best LeBron defender was Battier in Houston imo.

[97 bulls]

Dennis Rodman is the only player I feel is strong enough, quick enough, fast enough, and mentally capable, of controlling James.

And I agree with Hitman. Marion did a hell of a job on James. I see no reason why Pippen couldnt just as well if not better than Marion.

[LikeABosh]

Past? Scottie? DPOY Artest?

Preset? Serge? Gay? Healthy Howard?

Two years from now? Durant? Davis? Others?

Top teams need to gear against this guy similar to way they did Shaq, dude is virtually unstoppable at this point.
Davis? :roll: :roll: :roll:

[Blue&Orange]

4th quarters and\or close games, there's nothing and nobody else capable of stopping Lebron better.

[arifgokcen]

Dennis Rodman is the only player I feel is strong enough, quick enough, fast enough, and mentally capable, of controlling James.

And I agree with Hitman. Marion did a hell of a job on James. I see no reason why Pippen couldnt just as well if not better than Marion.

I still dont think marion+chandler cant contain this lebron.He literally choked in 2011 finals.He didnt even shot the ball.Thats saying something.

[97 bulls]

I still dont think marion+chandler cant contain this lebron.He literally choked in 2011 finals.He didnt even shot the ball.Thats saying something.
Youre probably right. But from what I saw, Marion did a superb job on James for whatever reason.

[Pointguard]

If Shawn Marion can make Lebron go into bitch mode for the majority of an NBA Finals series I know damn well Pippen has plenty chance of stopping him :oldlol:
Lebron was going through things himself, its not really anything Marion was doing. That was pretty obvious.

Marion isn't really that good of a defender. He never made third team all defense when he was in his prime, much less being well off of it. Lebron usually torches his teams moreso than he does the rest of the league. And besides we are talking about now.


Pippen was also a damn good post defender and great at ball denial. His wingspan gave the post entry guy problems at even getting the pass into the post.
Why are you bringing that up. None of that would apply to Lebron. Pippen as a one on one defender highly favor's Deng - Pip was a better help defender but I am not so sure that he was the greater one on one defender. The thing about Lebron is that he's much faster and quicker than Pippen was. His strength is on a whole different level. And Lebron uses both of those advantages exceptionally well.

[che guevara]

4th quarters and\or close games, there's nothing and nobody else capable of stopping Lebron better.
LOL @ this Knicks fan talking shit. How's your one playoff win in 11 years?

:oldlol:

[scm5]

Kidd, Marion, and apparently Rondo have all had success in defending Lebron.

[Pointguard]

While I said Rodman the argument against Rodman was that quicker faster players were his weakness. He could guard Jordan for a quarter but then he couldn't keep it up. He never guarded the faster/quicker players for any length of time. I can't remember if it was foul trouble or what. He rarely guarded guards even before Dumars came. I'm sure some of that had to do with him not being able to rebound while guarding perimeter players - Lebron would have a dunk fest. But he's the best choice to me.

[97 bulls]

Lebron was going through things himself, its not really anything Marion was doing. That was pretty obvious.

Marion isn't really that good of a defender. He never made third team all defense when he was in his prime, much less being well off of it. Lebron usually torches his teams moreso than he does the rest of the league. And besides we are talking about now.


Why are you bringing that up. None of that would apply to Lebron. Pippen as a one on one defender highly favor's Deng - Pip was a better help defender but I am not so sure that he was the greater one on one defender. The thing about Lebron is that he's much faster and quicker than Pippen was. His strength is on a whole different level. And Lebron uses both of those advantages exceptionally well.
Im not sure I agree with the last paragraph PG. Theres video of Pip battling guys like Barkley, Ewing, Larry Johnson, Webber for post position and he holds his own. Not yo mention James isnt anything special in the post anyway. And while James may be faster, Pippen has more length and is a better jumper. I think hed do a good job. Not on Rodmans level, but a good job.

[DaSeba5]

4th quarters and\or close games, there's nothing and nobody else capable of stopping Lebron better.

lol this guy is too much. Knicks still irrelevant.

[97 bulls]

While I said Rodman the argument against Rodman was that quicker faster players were his weakness. He could guard Jordan for a quarter but then he couldn't keep it up. He never guarded the faster/quicker players for any length of time. I can't remember if it was foul trouble or what. He rarely guarded guards even before Dumars came. I'm sure some of that had to do with him not being able to rebound while guarding perimeter players - Lebron would have a dunk fest. But he's the best choice to me.
I remember rodman having the toughest defensive assignments. And never tiring. He did a good job on Jordan whos much quicker and faster than James. Granted, noone guards players exclusively.

[SilkkTheShocker]

lol this guy is too much. Knicks still irrelevant.

LOL for real. These Knicks fans are butthurt to point of being delusional

[SCdac]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0903/nba_g_bowen_600.jpg

[Pointguard]

Im not sure I agree with the last paragraph PG. Theres video of Pip battling guys like Barkley, Ewing, Larry Johnson, Webber for post position and he holds his own. Not yo mention James isnt anything special in the post anyway. And while James may be faster, Pippen has more length and is a better jumper. I think hed do a good job. Not on Rodmans level, but a good job.
Exactly, Lebron doesn't prefer the post but he could do it. Pip could bang, hang with big guys for a bit but Lebron gets more leverage because he doesn't start from a stationary position. Lebron moves way faster than anybody you mentioned. Way faster. If Lebron has you on his hip, all of those guys, save Barkley, are not in the same hemisphere as Lebron. Barkley was unstoppable when he took the ball the top of the key like Lebron. Barkley just had focus issues and was subject to confusion so he couldn't do it like Lebron.

You didin't mean to put Ewing in there. Pip would do spot work on the inside but he wasn't stopping any of those guys over the course of a game. Dominique had a like three 40 point games on Pippen in '91 and '92 (Pippen's great defensive years) a vast majority of the games played (10?)were thorough thrashings of Pippen. Then in '93 in the playoffs he averaged 30 on Pip. Grant Hill was also unphased by Pippen. He wasn't a guy that contained big time scorers. He was a help defender.

[Tking714]

It's usually Melo

[SpecialQue]

Pauk does a great job defending him everytime someone talks shit about 'bron.

[97 bulls]

Exactly, Lebron doesn't prefer the post but he could do it. Pip could bang, hang with big guys for a bit but Lebron gets more leverage because he doesn't start from a stationary position. Lebron moves way faster than anybody you mentioned. Way faster. If Lebron has you on his hip, all of those guys, save Barkley, are not in the same hemisphere as Lebron. Barkley was unstoppable when he took the ball the top of the key like Lebron. Barkley just had focus issues and was subject to confusion so he couldn't do it like Lebron.

You didin't mean to put Ewing in there. Pip would do spot work on the inside but he wasn't stopping any of those guys over the course of a game. Dominique had a like three 40 point games on Pippen in '91 and '92 (Pippen's great defensive years) a vast majority of the games played (10?)were thorough thrashings of Pippen. Then in '93 in the playoffs he averaged 30 on Pip. Grant Hill was also unphased by Pippen. He wasn't a guy that contained big time scorers. He was a help defender.
Ok PG. Tell me you feel is a great man defender

[arifgokcen]

Pauk does a great job defending him everytime someone talks shit about 'bron.
:applause: :applause: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: :lol :lol :lol

[christian1923]

Melo

[Haymaker]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0903/nba_g_bowen_600.jpg

This guy. :pimp:

[Pointguard]

Ok PG. Tell me you feel is a great man defender
At the small forward position.
Prime Artest, Bowen, Shane Bat were great on the ball defenders.

[Big#50]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/0903/nba_g_bowen_600.jpg
Would be insane to watch prime Bowen guard the Lebron of today. Bowen had a lot of help though. Duncan closing the paint was the main reason James couldn't do shit.

[97 bulls]

At the small forward position.
Prime Artest, Bowen, Shane Bat were great on the ball defenders.
Ok PG. Heres the statistical results of the players you named vs James

Artest. James avg 27 ppg on 47% shooting

Battier. James avg 26 ppg on 48%

Bowen. James avg 29 on 50%. And as a rookie in the finals, James avg 22 on 37%

Wilkins vs Pippen? 28 on 48. And mind you thats not considering games where Brad Sellers started at SF and Pippen came off the bench and playef limited minutes. In that playoff series you referred to? Wilkins avg 30 on 43% shooting. And he took a lot of shots to get those points. Then you gotta factor in that Pippen played a huge role on offense and as you already admitted played alot of help D.

[Crystallas]

When was Pippen a lock down defender?


Before you were old enough to understand the concepts of the pretty colors that were on your TV screen.

[SyRyanYang]

he prob makes him work, but the thing about very good defensive players is... unless you have a team defense around them, it wont do much good. its like all those years that marion and bell were on the suns. did they play good defense? heck yeah, but they had bad defenders surrounding them at the other 3 positions. plus dantoni system is designed to outscore you, not to stop you to win games, so often the guys they covered had great offensive nights.

bruce bowen with the rest of the spurs defensive system or rodman with the bad boy pistons >>>>
:lol :lol :roll: :roll:
Apparently outscoring your opponents won't stop them from winning games:facepalm