Is Kawhi Leonard Past His Prime On Defense ???

[DABIGSALSISHA]

Can he still do it on both ends of the floor? Can he stop people?

please , comment.

[Shooter]

He is playing just like 93 MJ.

Good scorer. Okay passer. And both need major help on defense, plus Kawhi is the better shooter. MJ is the better dunker.

Equal leadership

[Axe]

Most likely but too bad ty lue exposed themselves this postseason because he isn't phil jackson.

[Thenameless]

Has he won a DPOY recently?

[ClipperRevival]

Physically, he shouldn't be. He's 29 and in his peak/prime. I think the bigger issue is since he became "the man" on offense and started scoring 25+ PPG a game, he just didn't have the stamina/energy to go hard on D anymore. That's why being a truly dominant force on both ends is so hard. But right now, dude can't slow down anyone.

[999Guy]

He is playing just like 93 MJ.

Good scorer. Okay passer. And both need major help on defense, plus Kawhi is the better shooter. MJ is the better dunker.

Equal leadership
I mean....yeah. Is this a hot take?

Kawhi’s been done playing dominant defense since 2016.

He’s been very good in his LA career, but not dominant. Took an entire season off Toronto in probably his worst prime season. Ironically won anyway.

[julizaver]

Can he still do it on both ends of the floor? Can he stop people?

please , comment.

Yes, he can do that - but you can stop alone player like Luka, if you dedicate yourself completely and solely on this task maybe you can put his game in some reasonable numbers - but to stop player like Luka and score 40 points on efficient shooting is something else.

[Manny98]

He hasn't been the same defensivenly since the Zaza incident

[Bronbron23]

He is playing just like 93 MJ.

Good scorer. Okay passer. And both need major help on defense, plus Kawhi is the better shooter. MJ is the better dunker.

Equal leadership

93 mj? Not even close. Kawhi looks like wizards mj maybe. Kawhi has looked slow and hurt since the injury with the spurs. He's never looked the same.

[HoopsNY]

93 mj? Not even close. Kawhi looks like wizards mj maybe. Kawhi has looked slow and hurt since the injury with the spurs. He's never looked the same.

Hilarous because 1993 MJ was one of the greatest seasons for a perimeter player, defensively, ever. Bran stans wanna act like MJ wasn't up there with the likes of Rodman, D. Rob, and Hakeem that year. Anyone who watched basketball that year saw it.

[ClipperRevival]

Also wanted to add, this is another factor of why MJ is considerd the GOAT. 10 scoring titles and 9 All-NBA D 1st Team (all DESERVED). He dominated on both ends. How he had the energy to go hard on both ends is God given stamina. MJ was probably an alien.

[mehyaM24]

93 mj? Not even close. Kawhi looks like wizards mj maybe. Kawhi has looked slow and hurt since the injury with the spurs. He's never looked the same.

maybe in movement, but not in productivity. kawhi is on another tier compared to wizards jordan. one thing i don't like about kawhi NOW is that he plays little defense. dude is inconsistent on that end, and the mavs are getting anything they want. on his watch.

[ClipperRevival]

Hilarous because 1993 MJ was one of the greatest seasons for a perimeter player, defensively, ever. Bran stans wanna act like MJ wasn't up there with the likes of Rodman, D. Rob, and Hakeem that year. Anyone who watched basketball that year saw it.

These youngsters truly don't understand that MJ was without a doubt, one of the greatest perimeter defenders EVER. Few can even be mentioned in his class. Kids think MJ only scored.

[Smoke117]

As players score more their defensive effort lessens. That’s always how it’s been. That said, the game has changed a lot in a short time from 15,16 when he won his dpoy’s. Defensive ratings have gone way up in general as the game has just become a shootout and 3pt fest.

[LeCola]

He is playing just like 93 MJ.

Good scorer. Okay passer. And both need major help on defense, plus Kawhi is the better shooter. MJ is the better dunker.

Equal leadership


I mean....yeah. Is this a hot take?

Kawhi’s been done playing dominant defense since 2016.

He’s been very good in his LA career, but not dominant. Took an entire season off Toronto in probably his worst prime season. Ironically won anyway.


93 mj? Not even close. Kawhi looks like wizards mj maybe. Kawhi has looked slow and hurt since the injury with the spurs. He's never looked the same.


Hilarous because 1993 MJ was one of the greatest seasons for a perimeter player, defensively, ever. Bran stans wanna act like MJ wasn't up there with the likes of Rodman, D. Rob, and Hakeem that year. Anyone who watched basketball that year saw it.


maybe in movement, but not in productivity. kawhi is on another tier compared to wizards jordan. one thing i don't like about kawhi NOW is that he plays little defense. dude is inconsistent on that end, and the mavs are getting anything they want. on his watch.

93 Jordan Awards:
Finals MVP
NBA Champion
All NBA 1st Team
All Defensive 1st Team
Scoring Champion
Steals Champion
All Star
3rd in MVP Race
2nd in DPOY Race

Also, 1st in these stats in league:
Field Goals
2-Pt Field Goals
Player Efficiency Rating
Win Shares
Offensive Win Shares
Win Shares Per 48 Minutes
Box Plus/Minus
Offensive Box Plus/Minus
Value Over Replacement Player
Usage Pct

[Phoenix]

Physically, he shouldn't be. He's 29 and in his peak/prime. I think the bigger issue is since he became "the man" on offense and started scoring 25+ PPG a game, he just didn't have the stamina/energy to go hard on D anymore. That's why being a truly dominant force on both ends is so hard. But right now, dude can't slow down anyone.

People forget that Tmac in his first few seasons was mostly a defensive-oriented player. The moment he started dropping 25 plus his defense fell off. Kobe's defensive peak was around 2000 or 2001. When Shaq left and the entire offense rested on him dropping 30+ppg ( especially the lean years between Shaq leaving and Gasol coming onboard) he had to pick his spots alot more defensively.

You're correct, it takes a hell of a motor to go all out on both ends of the floor 82 times a year.

[ImKobe]

Also wanted to add, this is another factor of why MJ is considerd the GOAT. 10 scoring titles and 9 All-NBA D 1st Team (all DESERVED). He dominated on both ends. How he had the energy to go hard on both ends is God given stamina. MJ was probably an alien.

Yes. Kawhi was never known for his motor or his intensity, he looks like he's bored out there all the time while Jordan had Westbrook's motor his entire career. MJ could lead his team in scoring and take on the opposing team's best perimeter player on D when it mattered in the Playoffs like when he shut down Reggie in '98.

[ClipperRevival]

93 Jordan Awards:
Finals MVP
NBA Champion
All NBA 1st Team
All Defensive 1st Team
Scoring Champion
Steals Champion
All Star
3rd in MVP Race
2nd in DPOY Race

Also, 1st in these stats in league:
Field Goals
2-Pt Field Goals
Player Efficiency Rating
Win Shares
Offensive Win Shares
Win Shares Per 48 Minutes
Box Plus/Minus
Offensive Box Plus/Minus
Value Over Replacement Player
Usage Pct

Voters got tired of voting MJ MVP every year. He should've been MVP in 1993 and 1997. You could also make arguments for 1989 and 1990 although it is a weaker case as his team's weren't winning chips. But individually, he was already ahead of everyone. MJ was just dominant from the get go.

[Phoenix]

Voters got tired of voting MJ MVP every year. He should've been MVP in 1993 and 1997. You could also make arguments for 1989 and 1990 although it is a weaker case as his team's weren't winning chips. But individually, he was already ahead of everyone. MJ was just dominant from the get go.

If you look back at the 80s, if you were winning MVP odds are your team was probably in the finals. MJs 88 MVP year was kind of an aberration in that respect.

[ClipperRevival]

If you look back at the 80s, if you were winning MVP odds are your team was probably in the finals. MJs 88 MVP year was kind of an aberration in that respect.

Not to mention, the players winning MVPs were all GOAT tier players. No Nash, Westbrook:facepalm, Rose, etc. Nothing manufactured or a result of era or systems or rules, etc.

[Phoenix]

Not to mention, the players winning MVPs were all GOAT tier players. No Nash, Westbrook:facepalm, Rose, etc. Nothing manufactured or a result of era or systems or rules, etc.

Yep, Kareem, Magic, Bird, Moses, Dr.J. Not bad company.

[Smoke117]

People forget that Tmac in his first few seasons was mostly a defensive-oriented player. The moment he started dropping 25 plus his defense fell off. Kobe's defensive peak was around 2000 or 2001. When Shaq left and the entire offense rested on him dropping 30+ppg ( especially the lean years between Shaq leaving and Gasol coming onboard) he had to pick his spots alot more defensively.

You're correct, it takes a hell of a motor to go all out on both ends of the floor 82 times a year.

Kobe was an average to bad defensive player throughout most of his career in the regular season. I’ve said it before, he did pick it up in the playoffs, but him having all those all defensive nods is an insult to someone like a Scottie Pippen who game in game out for 82 games never took a play off defensively. It’s also screwed up for someone like Dwyane Wade who was much more consistent, but was only on the 2nd team or no team at all. The point of making the all defensive team is that you are playing consistent very good to great defense throughout the long grinding season and Kobe didn’t besides the 2000 season for the most part.

[Phoenix]

Kobe was an average to bad defensive player throughout most of his career in the regular season. I’ve said it before, he did pick it up in the playoffs, but him having all those all defensive nods is an insult to someone like a Scottie Pippen who game in game out for 82 games never took a play off defensively. It’s also screwed up for someone like Dwyane Wade who was much more consistent, but was only on the 2nd team or no team at all. The point of making the all defensive team is that you are playing consistent very good to great defense throughout the long grinding season and Kobe didn’t besides the 2000 season for the most part.

Kobe basically didnt recommit himself to the defensive end in terms of consistency until the 08 campaign. Prior to that, he seemed to mostly get up for the 'big matchups ( playing guys like Tmac, Wade, Vince etc) but outside of that.....let's just say quite a number of those all defense first teams were more on reputation than the night in, night out reality.