Rational discussion, what was James' real defensive level at his peak?
When it comes to James, it gives the impression that he is an offensive and defensive integration and the second person in history. Although there is no DPOY, the first defense has won five times, which is enough to show the recognition of its defensive strength by the media and the public.
But puzzlingly, James, who has beautiful stats and honors on the defensive end, seems to have a limited defensive role during the Finals. In the '11 Finals, Mavericks sixth man Terry averaged 18 points per game, scoring even more than himself. In the '14 finals, third-year rookie Leonard cut the FMVP. In the '15 Finals, Iguodala averaged 16 points per game and earned FMVP as a substitute. In the '17 Finals, Durant averaged 35 points per game with the super efficiency of the 180 club. In '18 and '20, both Durant and Butler played better numbers in the Finals than in the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Anyone who has played knows (and those who haven't played should know) that letting the opposing player cut a high score on his head and win, to a certain extent, indicates that there is a problem with his defense. So, putting aside the defensive attitude on the court in the past two years, what was James' defensive strength at his peak?
